diff --git a/tests/unit/util.cpp b/tests/unit/util.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bbe3855b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/util.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+#include "common/common_pch.h"
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include <ebml/EbmlBinary.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlDate.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlFloat.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlSInteger.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlString.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlUInteger.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlUnicodeString.h>
+#include <ebml/EbmlVoid.h>
+
+#include "common/strings/editing.h"
+#include "common/at_scope_exit.h"
+#include "tests/unit/util.h"
+
+namespace mtxut {
+
+void
+dump(EbmlElement *element,
+     bool with_values,
+     unsigned int level) {
+  std::string indent_str, value_str;
+  size_t i;
+
+  for (i = 1; i <= level; ++i)
+    indent_str += " ";
+
+  if (with_values) {
+    if (dynamic_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(element))
+      value_str = to_string(uint64(*static_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(element)));
+
+    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(element))
+      value_str = to_string(int64(*static_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(element)));
+
+    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlFloat *>(element))
+      value_str = to_string(double(*static_cast<EbmlFloat *>(element)));
+
+    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(element))
+      value_str = UTFstring(*static_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(element)).GetUTF8();
+
+    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlString *>(element))
+      value_str = std::string(*static_cast<EbmlString *>(element));
+
+    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlDate *>(element))
+      value_str = to_string(static_cast<EbmlDate *>(element)->GetEpochDate());
+
+    else
+      value_str = (boost::format("(type: %1%)") %
+                   (  dynamic_cast<EbmlBinary *>(element) ? "binary"
+                    : dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(element) ? "master"
+                    : dynamic_cast<EbmlVoid *>(element)   ? "void"
+                    :                                       "unknown")).str();
+
+    value_str = " " + value_str;
+  }
+
+  std::cout << indent_str << EBML_NAME(element) << value_str << std::endl;
+
+  EbmlMaster *master = dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(element);
+  if (!master)
+    return;
+
+  for (auto el : *master)
+    dump(el, with_values, level + 1);
+}
+
+//
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+
+::testing::AssertionResult
+EbmlEquals(char const *a_expr,
+           char const *b_expr,
+           EbmlElement &a,
+           EbmlElement &b) {
+  std::string error;
+  if (ebml_equals_c::check(a, b, error))
+    return ::testing::AssertionSuccess();
+  else
+    return ::testing::AssertionFailure() << a_expr << " and " << b_expr << " are not equal: " << error;
+}
+
+//
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+
+ebml_equals_c::ebml_equals_c() {
+}
+
+
+std::string
+ebml_equals_c::get_error() const {
+  return m_error;
+}
+
+bool
+ebml_equals_c::set_error(std::string const &error,
+                         EbmlElement *cmp) {
+  auto full_path = m_path;
+  if (cmp)
+    full_path.push_back(EBML_NAME(cmp));
+
+  m_error = (boost::format("%1% path: %2%") % error % join(" -> ", full_path)).str();
+  return false;
+}
+
+bool
+ebml_equals_c::set_error(boost::format const &error,
+                         EbmlElement *cmp) {
+  return set_error(error.str(), cmp);
+}
+
+bool
+ebml_equals_c::check(EbmlElement &a,
+                     EbmlElement &b,
+                     std::string &error) {
+  ebml_equals_c checker;
+  bool result = checker.compare_impl(a, b);
+  error       = checker.get_error();
+  return result;
+}
+
+bool
+ebml_equals_c::compare_impl(EbmlElement &a,
+                            EbmlElement &b) {
+  if (&a == &b)
+    return true;
+
+  if (std::string{EBML_NAME(&a)} != std::string{EBML_NAME(&b)})
+    return set_error(boost::format("types are differing: %1% vs %2%") % EBML_NAME(&a) % EBML_NAME(&b));
+
+  EbmlUInteger *ui_a;
+  EbmlSInteger *si_a;
+  EbmlFloat *f_a;
+  EbmlString *str_a;
+  EbmlUnicodeString *ustr_a;
+  EbmlMaster *m_a;
+
+  if ((ui_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(&a))) {
+    auto val_b = uint64(*dynamic_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(&b));
+    return uint64(*ui_a) == val_b ? true : set_error(boost::format("UInteger values differ: %1% vs %2%") % uint64(*ui_a) % val_b, &a);
+
+  } else if ((si_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(&a))) {
+    auto val_b = int64(*dynamic_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(&b));
+    return int64(*si_a) == val_b ? true : set_error(boost::format("SInteger values differ: %1% vs %2%") % int64(*si_a) % val_b, &a);
+
+  } else if ((f_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlFloat *>(&a))) {
+    auto val_b = double(*dynamic_cast<EbmlFloat *>(&b));
+    return double(*f_a) == val_b ? true : set_error(boost::format("Float values differ: %1% vs %2%") % double(*f_a) % val_b, &a);
+
+  } else if ((str_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlString *>(&a))) {
+    auto val_b = std::string(*dynamic_cast<EbmlString *>(&b));
+    return std::string(*str_a) == val_b ? true : set_error(boost::format("String values differ: %1% vs %2%") % std::string(*str_a) % val_b, &a);
+
+  } else if ((ustr_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(&a))) {
+    auto val_a = UTFstring(*dynamic_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(&a)).GetUTF8();
+    auto val_b = UTFstring(*dynamic_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(&b)).GetUTF8();
+    return val_a == val_b ? true : set_error(boost::format("UnicodeString values differ: %1% vs %2%") % val_a % val_b, &a);
+
+  } else if ((m_a = dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(&a))) {
+    m_path.push_back(EBML_NAME(&a));
+    at_scope_exit_c popper{[&]() { m_path.pop_back(); }};
+
+    auto m_b = dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(&b);
+    for (int i = 0; i < std::min<int>(m_a->ListSize(), m_b->ListSize()); ++i)
+      if (!compare_impl(*(*m_a)[i], *(*m_b)[i]))
+        return false;
+
+    if (m_a->ListSize() == m_b->ListSize())
+      return true;
+
+    std::string op;
+    EbmlMaster *with_more, *with_less;
+    if (m_a->ListSize() > m_b->ListSize()) {
+      op        = "more";
+      with_more = m_a;
+      with_less = m_b;
+    } else {
+      op        = "less";
+      with_less = m_a;
+      with_more = m_b;
+    }
+
+    std::stringstream error{ (boost::format("LHS contains %1% elements than RHS (%2% vs %3%):") % op % m_a->ListSize() % m_b->ListSize()).str() };
+    for (auto i = with_less->ListSize(); i < with_more->ListSize(); ++i)
+      error << " " << EBML_NAME((*with_more)[i]);
+
+    return set_error(error.str());
+
+  } else
+    return set_error(boost::format("unsupported types: %1% and %2%") % EBML_NAME(&a) % EBML_NAME(&b));
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/util.h b/tests/unit/util.h
index c95def92c..5629a65e8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util.h
+++ b/tests/unit/util.h
@@ -16,69 +16,38 @@
 
 #include "common/common_pch.h"
 
-#include <iostream>
+#include <ebml/EbmlElement.h>
 
-#include <ebml/EbmlBinary.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlDate.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlFloat.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlSInteger.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlString.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlUInteger.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlUnicodeString.h>
-#include <ebml/EbmlVoid.h>
+#include "gtest/gtest.h"
+#include "common/strings/formatting.h"
+
+#define ASSERT_EBML_EQ(a, b) ASSERT_PRED_FORMAT2(EbmlEquals, (a), (b))
+#define EXPECT_EBML_EQ(a, b) EXPECT_PRED_FORMAT2(EbmlEquals, (a), (b))
 
 namespace mtxut {
 
 using namespace libebml;
 
-void
-dump(EbmlElement *element,
-     bool with_values = false,
-     unsigned int level = 0) {
-  std::string indent_str, value_str;
-  size_t i;
+void dump(EbmlElement *element, bool with_values = false, unsigned int level = 0);
 
-  for (i = 1; i <= level; ++i)
-    indent_str += " ";
+::testing::AssertionResult EbmlEquals(char const *a_expr, char const *b_expr, EbmlElement &a, EbmlElement &b);
 
-  if (with_values) {
-    if (dynamic_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(element))
-      value_str = to_string(uint64(*static_cast<EbmlUInteger *>(element)));
+class ebml_equals_c {
+private:
+  std::vector<std::string> m_path;
+  std::string m_error;
 
-    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(element))
-      value_str = to_string(int64(*static_cast<EbmlSInteger *>(element)));
+public:
+  ebml_equals_c();
 
-    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlFloat *>(element))
-      value_str = to_string(double(*static_cast<EbmlFloat *>(element)));
+  bool compare_impl(EbmlElement &a, EbmlElement &b);
+  std::string get_error() const;
+  bool set_error(std::string const &error, EbmlElement *cmp = nullptr);
+  bool set_error(boost::format const &error, EbmlElement *cmp = nullptr);
 
-    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(element))
-      value_str = UTFstring_to_cstrutf8(UTFstring(*static_cast<EbmlUnicodeString *>(element)));
-
-    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlString *>(element))
-      value_str = std::string(*static_cast<EbmlString *>(element));
-
-    else if (dynamic_cast<EbmlDate *>(element))
-      value_str = to_string(static_cast<EbmlDate *>(element)->GetEpochDate());
-
-    else
-      value_str = (boost::format("(type: %1%)") %
-                   (  dynamic_cast<EbmlBinary *>(element) ? "binary"
-                    : dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(element) ? "master"
-                    : dynamic_cast<EbmlVoid *>(element)   ? "void"
-                    :                                       "unknown")).str();
-
-    value_str = " " + value_str;
-  }
-
-  std::cout << indent_str << EBML_NAME(element) << value_str << std::endl;
-
-  EbmlMaster *master = dynamic_cast<EbmlMaster *>(element);
-  if (!master)
-    return;
-
-  for (auto el : *master)
-    dump(el, with_values, level + 1);
-}
+public:
+  static bool check(EbmlElement &a, EbmlElement &b, std::string &error);
+};
 
 }