diff --git a/src/arm/code-stubs-arm.cc b/src/arm/code-stubs-arm.cc
index b37855b8e0..9e6f7596e7 100644
--- a/src/arm/code-stubs-arm.cc
+++ b/src/arm/code-stubs-arm.cc
@@ -5815,15 +5815,12 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     // r3: from index (untagged smi)
     // r6 (a.k.a. to): to (smi)
     // r7 (a.k.a. from): from offset (smi)
-    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_string;
-    STATIC_ASSERT(kSeqStringTag == 0);
-    __ tst(r1, Operand(kStringRepresentationMask));
-    __ b(eq, &seq_string);
+    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_or_external_string;
+    // If the string is not indirect, it can only be sequential or external.
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask == (kSlicedStringTag & kConsStringTag));
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask != 0);
     __ tst(r1, Operand(kIsIndirectStringMask));
-    // External string.  Jump to runtime.
-    __ b(eq, &runtime);
+    __ b(eq, &seq_or_external_string);
 
     __ tst(r1, Operand(kSlicedNotConsMask));
     __ b(ne, &sliced_string);
@@ -5842,8 +5839,8 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     __ ldr(r5, FieldMemOperand(r0, SlicedString::kParentOffset));
     __ jmp(&allocate_slice);
 
-    __ bind(&seq_string);
-    // Sequential string.  Just move string to the right register.
+    __ bind(&seq_or_external_string);
+    // Sequential or external string.  Just move string to the correct register.
     __ mov(r5, r0);
 
     __ bind(&allocate_slice);
diff --git a/src/ia32/code-stubs-ia32.cc b/src/ia32/code-stubs-ia32.cc
index 23bea4f856..8d30447b94 100644
--- a/src/ia32/code-stubs-ia32.cc
+++ b/src/ia32/code-stubs-ia32.cc
@@ -5973,18 +5973,15 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     // ebx: instance type
     // ecx: sub string length
     // edx: from index (smi)
-    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_string;
+    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_or_external_string;
     __ cmp(ecx, SlicedString::kMinLength);
     // Short slice.  Copy instead of slicing.
     __ j(less, &copy_routine);
-    STATIC_ASSERT(kSeqStringTag == 0);
-    __ test(ebx, Immediate(kStringRepresentationMask));
-    __ j(zero, &seq_string, Label::kNear);
+    // If the string is not indirect, it can only be sequential or external.
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask == (kSlicedStringTag & kConsStringTag));
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask != 0);
     __ test(ebx, Immediate(kIsIndirectStringMask));
-    // External string.  Jump to runtime.
-    __ j(zero, &runtime);
+    __ j(zero, &seq_or_external_string, Label::kNear);
 
     Factory* factory = masm->isolate()->factory();
     __ test(ebx, Immediate(kSlicedNotConsMask));
@@ -6002,8 +5999,8 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     __ mov(edi, FieldOperand(eax, SlicedString::kParentOffset));
     __ jmp(&allocate_slice, Label::kNear);
 
-    __ bind(&seq_string);
-    // Sequential string.  Just move string to the right register.
+    __ bind(&seq_or_external_string);
+    // Sequential or external string.  Just move string to the correct register.
     __ mov(edi, eax);
 
     __ bind(&allocate_slice);
diff --git a/src/x64/code-stubs-x64.cc b/src/x64/code-stubs-x64.cc
index bf50869ed9..62be27e643 100644
--- a/src/x64/code-stubs-x64.cc
+++ b/src/x64/code-stubs-x64.cc
@@ -4912,18 +4912,15 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     // rbx: instance type
     // rcx: sub string length
     // rdx: from index (smi)
-    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_string;
+    Label allocate_slice, sliced_string, seq_or_external_string;
     __ cmpq(rcx, Immediate(SlicedString::kMinLength));
     // Short slice.  Copy instead of slicing.
     __ j(less, &copy_routine);
-    STATIC_ASSERT(kSeqStringTag == 0);
-    __ testb(rbx, Immediate(kStringRepresentationMask));
-    __ j(zero, &seq_string, Label::kNear);
+    // If the string is not indirect, it can only be sequential or external.
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask == (kSlicedStringTag & kConsStringTag));
     STATIC_ASSERT(kIsIndirectStringMask != 0);
     __ testb(rbx, Immediate(kIsIndirectStringMask));
-    // External string.  Jump to runtime.
-    __ j(zero, &runtime);
+    __ j(zero, &seq_or_external_string, Label::kNear);
 
     __ testb(rbx, Immediate(kSlicedNotConsMask));
     __ j(not_zero, &sliced_string, Label::kNear);
@@ -4940,8 +4937,8 @@ void SubStringStub::Generate(MacroAssembler* masm) {
     __ movq(rdi, FieldOperand(rax, SlicedString::kParentOffset));
     __ jmp(&allocate_slice, Label::kNear);
 
-    __ bind(&seq_string);
-    // Sequential string.  Just move string to the right register.
+    __ bind(&seq_or_external_string);
+    // Sequential or external string.  Just move string to the correct register.
     __ movq(rdi, rax);
 
     __ bind(&allocate_slice);