diff --git a/model/flow/identity.go b/model/flow/identity.go
index f05188988e6..eb86279641b 100644
--- a/model/flow/identity.go
+++ b/model/flow/identity.go
@@ -61,6 +61,19 @@ type Identity struct {
 	NetworkPubKey crypto.PublicKey
 }
 
+func (id *Identity) Equals(other *Identity) bool {
+	if other == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return id.NodeID == other.NodeID &&
+		id.Address == other.Address &&
+		id.Role == other.Role &&
+		id.Weight == other.Weight &&
+		id.Ejected == other.Ejected &&
+		id.StakingPubKey.Equals(other.StakingPubKey) &&
+		id.NetworkPubKey.Equals(other.NetworkPubKey)
+}
+
 // ParseIdentity parses a string representation of an identity.
 func ParseIdentity(identity string) (*Identity, error) {
 
diff --git a/model/flow/identity_test.go b/model/flow/identity_test.go
index 9c1a137d8ab..0f3b2c2145a 100644
--- a/model/flow/identity_test.go
+++ b/model/flow/identity_test.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func TestIdentityEncodingJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		var dec flow.Identity
 		err = json.Unmarshal(enc, &dec)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		require.Equal(t, identity, &dec)
+		require.True(t, identity.Equals(&dec))
 	})
 
 	t.Run("empty address should be omitted", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func TestIdentityEncodingJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		var dec flow.Identity
 		err = json.Unmarshal(enc, &dec)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		require.Equal(t, identity, &dec)
+		require.True(t, identity.Equals(&dec))
 	})
 
 	t.Run("compat: should accept old files using Stake field", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func TestIdentityEncodingJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		var dec flow.Identity
 		err = json.Unmarshal(enc, &dec)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		require.Equal(t, identity, &dec)
+		require.True(t, identity.Equals(&dec))
 	})
 }
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestIdentityEncodingMsgpack(t *testing.T) {
 	var dec flow.Identity
 	err = msgpack.Unmarshal(enc, &dec)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, identity, &dec)
+	require.True(t, identity.Equals(&dec))
 }
 
 func TestIdentityList_Exists(t *testing.T) {