diff --git a/VersionedMap.cpp b/VersionedMap.cpp
index 52c34a5..570ec6f 100644
--- a/VersionedMap.cpp
+++ b/VersionedMap.cpp
@@ -1019,6 +1019,16 @@ struct VersionedMap::Iterator::Impl {
     result.mutations[1] = mutations[1];
     finger.copyTo(result.finger);
   }
+
+  bool equals(const Impl &other) const {
+    assert(map == other.map);
+    assert(version == other.version);
+    if (finger.searchPathSize() == 0 || other.finger.searchPathSize() == 0) {
+      return finger.searchPathSize() == other.finger.searchPathSize();
+    }
+    return finger.backNode() == other.finger.backNode() &&
+           mutationIndex == other.mutationIndex;
+  }
 };
 
 VersionedMap::Iterator::~Iterator() {
@@ -1173,14 +1183,10 @@ VersionedMap::Iterator VersionedMap::Iterator::operator--(int) {
 }
 
 bool VersionedMap::Iterator::operator==(const Iterator &other) const {
-  assert(impl->map == other.impl->map);
-  assert(impl->version == other.impl->version);
-  if (impl->finger.searchPathSize() == 0 ||
-      other.impl->finger.searchPathSize() == 0) {
-    return impl->finger.searchPathSize() == other.impl->finger.searchPathSize();
+  if (impl == nullptr || other.impl == nullptr) {
+    return impl == other.impl;
   }
-  return impl->finger.backNode() == other.impl->finger.backNode() &&
-         impl->mutationIndex == other.impl->mutationIndex;
+  return impl->equals(*other.impl);
 }
 
 void VersionedMap::Impl::firstGeq(const Key *key, const int64_t *version,
@@ -1242,7 +1248,10 @@ void VersionedMap::Impl::firstGeq(const Key *key, const int64_t *version,
 }
 
 bool VersionedMap::Iterator::operator!=(const Iterator &other) const {
-  return !(*this == other);
+  if (impl == nullptr || other.impl == nullptr) {
+    return impl != other.impl;
+  }
+  return !impl->equals(*other.impl);
 }
 
 int VersionedMap::Iterator::cmp() const { return impl->cmp; }