diff --git a/blueprints-core/src/main/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelper.java b/blueprints-core/src/main/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelper.java
index ff728451..398a478d 100644
--- a/blueprints-core/src/main/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelper.java
+++ b/blueprints-core/src/main/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelper.java
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ public static void setProperties(final Element element, final Object... keysValu
      * @return Whether the two elements are equal
      */
     public static boolean areEqual(final Element a, final Object b) {
+		if (null == a && b != null)
+			return false;
         if (a == b)
             return true;
         if (null == b)
diff --git a/blueprints-test/src/test/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelperTest.java b/blueprints-test/src/test/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelperTest.java
index 549aaa31..1dcc9b50 100644
--- a/blueprints-test/src/test/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelperTest.java
+++ b/blueprints-test/src/test/java/com/tinkerpop/blueprints/util/ElementHelperTest.java
@@ -156,4 +156,34 @@ public void testSetPropertiesVarArgs() {
         }
 
     }
+
+	public void testAreEqualNullFirstArg() {
+		Graph graph = new TinkerGraph();
+		Vertex vertex = graph.addVertex(null);
+
+		ElementHelper.areEqual(null, vertex);
+	}
+
+	public void testAreEqualNullSecondArg() {
+		Graph graph = new TinkerGraph();
+		Vertex vertex = graph.addVertex(null);
+
+		ElementHelper.areEqual(vertex, null);
+	}
+
+	public void testAreEqualValid() {
+		Graph graph = new TinkerGraph();
+		Vertex vertex = graph.addVertex(null);
+
+		ElementHelper.areEqual(vertex, vertex);
+	}
+
+	public void testAreEqualInvalid() {
+		Graph graph = new TinkerGraph();
+		Vertex vertex1 = graph.addVertex(null);
+		Vertex vertex2 = graph.addVertex(null);
+
+		ElementHelper.areEqual(vertex2, vertex1);
+	}
+
 }