diff --git a/src/common/memory.h b/src/common/memory.h
index 1220cdc58..9914caeaa 100644
--- a/src/common/memory.h
+++ b/src/common/memory.h
@@ -187,16 +187,6 @@ public:
     return its_counter ? its_counter->ptr : nullptr;
   }
 
-  bool operator ==(memory_c const &cmp) const {
-    return (get_size() == cmp.get_size())
-        && ((get_buffer() && cmp.get_buffer()) || (!get_buffer() && !cmp.get_buffer()))
-        && (get_buffer() ? !::memcmp(get_buffer(), cmp.get_buffer(), get_size()) : true);
-  }
-
-  bool operator !=(memory_c const &cmp) const {
-    return !(*this == cmp);
-  }
-
   std::string to_string() const {
     if (!is_allocated() || !get_size())
       return {};
@@ -263,6 +253,39 @@ private:
   }
 };
 
+inline bool
+operator ==(memory_c const &a,
+            memory_c const &b) {
+  return (a.get_size() == b.get_size())
+      && ((a.get_buffer() && b.get_buffer()) || (!a.get_buffer() && !b.get_buffer()))
+      && (a.get_buffer() ? !std::memcmp(a.get_buffer(), b.get_buffer(), a.get_size()) : true);
+}
+
+inline bool
+operator !=(memory_c const &a,
+            memory_c const &b) {
+  return !(a == b);
+}
+
+inline bool
+operator ==(memory_c const &a,
+            char const *b) {
+  if (!a.get_buffer() && !b)
+    return true;
+
+  if (!a.get_buffer() || !b)
+    return false;
+
+  return (a.get_size() == std::strlen(b))
+    && !std::memcmp(a.get_buffer(), b, a.get_size());
+}
+
+inline bool
+operator !=(memory_c const &a,
+            char const *b) {
+  return !(a == b);
+}
+
 class memory_slice_cursor_c {
  protected:
   size_t m_pos, m_pos_in_slice, m_size;
diff --git a/tests/unit/common/memory.cpp b/tests/unit/common/memory.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..171be9daa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/common/memory.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#include "common/common_pch.h"
+
+#include "common/memory.h"
+
+#include "gtest/gtest.h"
+
+namespace {
+
+TEST(Memory, OperatorEq) {
+  auto m1 = memory_c::clone("hello");
+  auto m2 = memory_c::alloc(5);
+  auto m3 = memory_c::clone("world");
+  std::memcpy(m2->get_buffer(), "hello", 5);
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE(*m1 == *m2);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(*m1 == "hello");
+  EXPECT_FALSE(*m1 == *m3);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(*m1 == "world");
+}
+
+TEST(Memory, OperatorNotEq) {
+  auto m1 = memory_c::clone("hello");
+  auto m2 = memory_c::alloc(5);
+  auto m3 = memory_c::clone("world");
+  std::memcpy(m2->get_buffer(), "hello", 5);
+
+  EXPECT_FALSE(*m1 != *m2);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(*m1 != "hello");
+  EXPECT_TRUE(*m1 != *m3);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(*m1 != "world");
+}
+
+}