diff --git a/gio/gfile.c b/gio/gfile.c
index 0facca16e..2e1e3cbde 100644
--- a/gio/gfile.c
+++ b/gio/gfile.c
@@ -660,6 +660,9 @@ g_file_equal (GFile *file1,
   g_return_val_if_fail (G_IS_FILE (file1), FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (G_IS_FILE (file2), FALSE);
 
+  if (file1 == file2)
+    return TRUE;
+
   if (G_TYPE_FROM_INSTANCE (file1) != G_TYPE_FROM_INSTANCE (file2))
     return FALSE;