diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 176ccd2f80c..eed7a1d230f 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -19,40 +19,71 @@ jasmine.fixture = {
 jasmine.triggerMouseEvent = triggerMouseEvent;
 
 function isObject(value) {
-	return value !== null && Object.prototype.toString.call(value) === '[object Object]';
+	return Object.prototype.toString.call(value) === '[object Object]';
 }
 
 function isArray(value) {
-	return value !== null && Object.prototype.toString.call(value) === '[object Array]';
+	return Object.prototype.toString.call(value) === '[object Array]';
 }
 
-function compareOption(val, act, path) {
+function fmt(val) {
+	if (typeof val === 'string') {
+		return `"${val}"`;
+	}
+	if (isArray(val) || isObject(val)) {
+		return JSON.stringify(val);
+	}
+	return `${val}`;
+}
+
+function compareArray(actual, expected, path) {
 	let ret = true;
+	const diff = [];
 
-	if (isObject(val)) {
-		ret = compareOptions(act, val, path);
-	} else if (isArray(val)) {
-		ret = val.length === act.length;
-		if (ret) {
-			for (let i = 0; i < val.length; i++) {
-				if (!compareOption(val[i], act[i], path)) {
-					ret = false;
-					break;
-				}
+	if (!isArray(actual)) {
+		diff.push(`${path}: Expected ${fmt(actual)} to be an array`);
+		ret = false;
+		actual = {};
+	}
+
+	if (actual.length !== expected.length) {
+		diff.push(`${path}.length: Expected ${actual.length} to equal ${expected.length}`);
+		ret = false;
+	}
+	for (let i = 0; i < expected.length; i++) {
+		const act = actual[i];
+		const exp = expected[i];
+		const cmp = compareOption(act, exp, `${path}[${i}]`);
+		if (isObject(cmp)) {
+			if (!cmp.pass) {
+				diff.push(cmp.message);
+				ret = false;
 			}
+		} else if (!cmp) {
+			diff.push(`${path}[${i}]: Expected ${fmt(act)} to equal ${fmt(exp)}`);
+			ret = false;
 		}
-	} else {
-		ret = act === val;
 	}
-	return ret;
+	return {
+		pass: ret,
+		message: diff.join('\n')
+	};
 }
 
-function compareOptions(actual, expected, path = '') {
+function compareObject(actual, expected, path = '') {
 	let ret = true;
-	let diff = [];
+	const diff = [];
+
+	if (!isObject(actual)) {
+		diff.push(`${path}: Expected ${fmt(actual)} to be an object`);
+		ret = false;
+		actual = {};
+	}
+
 	if (path !== '') {
 		path = path + '.';
 	}
+
 	for (const key in expected) {
 		if (typeof key === 'string' && key.startsWith('_')) {
 			continue;
@@ -60,12 +91,17 @@ function compareOptions(actual, expected, path = '') {
 		if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(expected, key)) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		const val = expected[key];
 		const act = actual[key];
-		ret = compareOption(val, act, `${path}${key}`);
-		if (!ret) {
-			diff.push(`${path}${key}: Expected '${actual[key]}' to be '${val}'`);
-			break;
+		const exp = expected[key];
+		const cmp = compareOption(act, exp, `${path}${key}`);
+		if (isObject(cmp)) {
+			if (!cmp.pass) {
+				diff.push(cmp.message);
+				ret = false;
+			}
+		} else if (!cmp) {
+			diff.push(`${path}${key}: Expected ${fmt(act)} to equal ${fmt(exp)}`);
+			ret = false;
 		}
 	}
 	return {
@@ -74,13 +110,26 @@ function compareOptions(actual, expected, path = '') {
 	};
 }
 
+function compareOption(actual, expected, path) {
+	let ret = true;
+
+	if (isObject(expected)) {
+		ret = compareObject(actual, expected, path);
+	} else if (isArray(expected)) {
+		ret = compareArray(actual, expected, path);
+	} else {
+		ret = actual === expected;
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
 beforeEach(function() {
 	addMatchers();
 	jasmine.addMatchers({
 		toEqualOptions() {
 			return {
 				compare(actual, expected) {
-					return compareOptions(actual, expected);
+					return compareObject(actual, expected);
 				}
 			};
 		}
diff --git a/test/specs/helpers.config.tests.js b/test/specs/helpers.config.tests.js
index ad46f9f2199..7fd801be6ac 100644
--- a/test/specs/helpers.config.tests.js
+++ b/test/specs/helpers.config.tests.js
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ describe('Chart.helpers.config', function() {
 				mainScope: (ctx) => ({
 					mainTest: ctx.contextValue,
 					subScope: {
-						subTest: 'a'
+						subText: 'a'
 					}
 				})
 			};
@@ -205,20 +205,22 @@ describe('Chart.helpers.config', function() {
 				labels: [{text: 'a'}, {text: 'b'}, {value: 1}]
 			};
 			const opts = _attachContext(_createResolver([options, defaults]), {text: 'context'});
-			expect(opts.labels).toEqualOptions([
-				{
-					text: 'a',
-					value: 42
-				},
-				{
-					text: 'b',
-					value: 42
-				},
-				{
-					text: 'context',
-					value: 1
-				}
-			]);
+			expect(opts).toEqualOptions({
+				labels: [
+					{
+						text: 'a',
+						value: 42
+					},
+					{
+						text: 'b',
+						value: 42
+					},
+					{
+						text: 'context',
+						value: 1
+					}
+				]
+			});
 		});
 
 		it('should support overriding options', function() {