diff --git a/synapse/events/__init__.py b/synapse/events/__init__.py
index 81e2126202..13154b1723 100644
--- a/synapse/events/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/events/__init__.py
@@ -36,10 +36,6 @@ class _EventInternalMetadata(object):
     def is_invite_from_remote(self):
         return getattr(self, "invite_from_remote", False)
 
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        "Equality check for unit tests."
-        return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
-
 
 def _event_dict_property(key):
     def getter(self):
@@ -184,8 +180,3 @@ class FrozenEvent(EventBase):
             self.get("type", None),
             self.get("state_key", None),
         )
-
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        """Equality check for unit tests. Compares internal_metadata as well
-        as the event fields"""
-        return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
diff --git a/tests/replication/slave/storage/test_events.py b/tests/replication/slave/storage/test_events.py
index d5d0ef1148..9af62702b3 100644
--- a/tests/replication/slave/storage/test_events.py
+++ b/tests/replication/slave/storage/test_events.py
@@ -14,20 +14,47 @@
 
 from ._base import BaseSlavedStoreTestCase
 
-from synapse.events import FrozenEvent
+from synapse.events import FrozenEvent, _EventInternalMetadata
 from synapse.events.snapshot import EventContext
 from synapse.storage.roommember import RoomsForUser
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
+
 USER_ID = "@feeling:blue"
 USER_ID_2 = "@bright:blue"
 OUTLIER = {"outlier": True}
 ROOM_ID = "!room:blue"
 
 
+def dict_equals(self, other):
+    return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
+
+
+def patch__eq__(cls):
+    eq = getattr(cls, "__eq__", None)
+    cls.__eq__ = dict_equals
+
+    def unpatch():
+        if eq is not None:
+            cls.__eq__ = eq
+    return unpatch
+
+
 class SlavedEventStoreTestCase(BaseSlavedStoreTestCase):
 
+    def setUp(self):
+        # Patch up the equality operator for events so that we can check
+        # whether lists of events match using assertEquals
+        self.unpatches = [
+            patch__eq__(_EventInternalMetadata),
+            patch__eq__(FrozenEvent),
+        ]
+        return super(SlavedEventStoreTestCase, self).setUp()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        [unpatch() for unpatch in self.unpatches]
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def test_room_name_and_aliases(self):
         create = yield self.persist(type="m.room.create", key="", creator=USER_ID)