diff --git a/loopy/kernel/__init__.py b/loopy/kernel/__init__.py
index 084c37b45cc4af25689ae3e121f170382c4e8d16..4e2819a82162b26a8c53dc25b434990473ed2d2c 100644
--- a/loopy/kernel/__init__.py
+++ b/loopy/kernel/__init__.py
@@ -1474,6 +1474,9 @@ class LoopKernel(ImmutableRecordWithoutPickling):
         return hash(key_hash.digest())
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
+        if self is other:
+            return True
+
         if not isinstance(other, LoopKernel):
             return False