diff --git a/test/test_kernels.py b/test/test_kernels.py
index 076fb22b95ccab9e8ee805cd0b6a1502b6ac61d2..606e383b7c895a3fdec97dbaa42b7958cd63dc8d 100644
--- a/test/test_kernels.py
+++ b/test/test_kernels.py
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ def test_m2m_and_l2l_exprs_simpler(base_knl, local_expn_class, mpole_expn_class,
     mpole_expn = mpole_expn_class(knl, order=order)
     local_expn = local_expn_class(knl, order=order)
 
-    from sumpy.symbolic import make_sym_vector, Symbol
+    from sumpy.symbolic import make_sym_vector, Symbol, USE_SYMENGINE
     dvec = make_sym_vector("d", knl.dim)
     src_coeff_exprs = [Symbol("src_coeff%d" % i) for i in range(len(mpole_expn))]
 
@@ -670,15 +670,24 @@ def test_m2m_and_l2l_exprs_simpler(base_knl, local_expn_class, mpole_expn_class,
             dvec, tgt_rscale)
     slower_m2m = mpole_expn.translate_from(mpole_expn, src_coeff_exprs, src_rscale,
             dvec, tgt_rscale, _fast_version=False)
+
+    def _check_equal(expr1, expr2):
+        if USE_SYMENGINE:
+            return float((expr1 - expr2).expand()) == 0.0
+        else:
+            # with sympy we are using UnevaluatedExpr and expand doesn't expand it
+            # Running doit replaces UnevaluatedExpr with evaluated exprs
+            return float((expr1 - expr2).doit().expand()) == 0.0
+
     for expr1, expr2 in zip(faster_m2m, slower_m2m):
-        assert float((expr1 - expr2).expand()) == 0.0
+        assert _check_equal(expr1, expr2)
 
     faster_l2l = local_expn.translate_from(local_expn, src_coeff_exprs, src_rscale,
             dvec, tgt_rscale)
     slower_l2l = local_expn.translate_from(local_expn, src_coeff_exprs, src_rscale,
             dvec, tgt_rscale, _fast_version=False)
     for expr1, expr2 in zip(faster_l2l, slower_l2l):
-        assert float((expr1 - expr2).expand()) == 0.0
+        assert _check_equal(expr1, expr2)
 
 
 # You can test individual routines by typing