diff --git a/core/test/helpers.el b/core/test/helpers.el
index a4d9986eb..618087fb4 100644
--- a/core/test/helpers.el
+++ b/core/test/helpers.el
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 ;;
 ;;; Buttercup extensions
 
+(buttercup-define-matcher-for-binary-function :to-equal-file file-equal-p)
+
 (buttercup-define-matcher :to-expand-into (form expected)
   (cl-destructuring-bind (form expected)
       (mapcar #'funcall (list form expected))
diff --git a/core/test/test-core.el b/core/test/test-core.el
index 00a45acb4..a236ed5e9 100644
--- a/core/test/test-core.el
+++ b/core/test/test-core.el
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@
 
     (it "loads the byte-compiled autoloads file if available"
       (doom-load-autoloads-file doom-autoload-file)
-      (expect (caar load-history) :to-equal
+      (expect (caar load-history) :to-equal-file
               (byte-compile-dest-file doom-autoload-file))
 
       (delete-file (byte-compile-dest-file doom-autoload-file))
       (doom-load-autoloads-file doom-autoload-file)
-      (expect (caar load-history) :to-equal doom-autoload-file))
+      (expect (caar load-history) :to-equal-file doom-autoload-file))
 
     (it "returns non-nil if successful"
       (expect (doom-load-autoloads-file doom-autoload-file)))