diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.lfs/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lfs/lib/AnyLongObjectId.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.lfs/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lfs/lib/AnyLongObjectId.java
index e6fe7408a..0a509acb7 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.lfs/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lfs/lib/AnyLongObjectId.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.lfs/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lfs/lib/AnyLongObjectId.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.AnyObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.NB;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.util.References;
 
 /**
  * A (possibly mutable) SHA-256 abstraction.
@@ -76,8 +77,9 @@ public abstract class AnyLongObjectId implements Comparable<AnyLongObjectId> {
 	 */
 	public static boolean equals(final AnyLongObjectId firstObjectId,
 			final AnyLongObjectId secondObjectId) {
-		if (firstObjectId == secondObjectId)
+		if (References.isSameObject(firstObjectId, secondObjectId)) {
 			return true;
+		}
 
 		// We test word 2 first as odds are someone already used our
 		// word 1 as a hash code, and applying that came up with these
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/AnyObjectId.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/AnyObjectId.java
index 4252e4138..4f90e6900 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/AnyObjectId.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/AnyObjectId.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import java.io.Writer;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.NB;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.util.References;
 
 /**
  * A (possibly mutable) SHA-1 abstraction.
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ public abstract class AnyObjectId implements Comparable<AnyObjectId> {
 	 */
 	public static boolean isEqual(final AnyObjectId firstObjectId,
 			final AnyObjectId secondObjectId) {
-		if (firstObjectId == secondObjectId) {
+		if (References.isSameObject(firstObjectId, secondObjectId)) {
 			return true;
 		}
 		// We test word 3 first since the git file-based ODB
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefSpec.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefSpec.java
index afd3adaac..16c6faf27 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefSpec.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefSpec.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import java.text.MessageFormat;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.JGitText;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Constants;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.util.References;
 
 /**
  * Describes how refs in one repository copy into another repository.
@@ -585,8 +586,9 @@ public class RefSpec implements Serializable {
 	}
 
 	private static boolean eq(String a, String b) {
-		if (a == b)
+		if (References.isSameObject(a, b)) {
 			return true;
+		}
 		if (a == null || b == null)
 			return false;
 		return a.equals(b);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/URIish.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/URIish.java
index 34730d395..7ca9cc134 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/URIish.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/URIish.java
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.JGitText;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Constants;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.RawParseUtils;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.util.References;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
@@ -624,8 +625,9 @@ public class URIish implements Serializable {
 	}
 
 	private static boolean eq(String a, String b) {
-		if (a == b)
+		if (References.isSameObject(a, b)) {
 			return true;
+		}
 		if (StringUtils.isEmptyOrNull(a) && StringUtils.isEmptyOrNull(b))
 			return true;
 		if (a == null || b == null)
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/References.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/References.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..341fbfa94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/References.java
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Matthias Sohn <matthias.sohn@sap.com>
+ * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
+ * under the terms of the Eclipse Distribution License v1.0 which
+ * accompanies this distribution, is reproduced below, and is
+ * available at http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php
+ *
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or
+ * without modification, are permitted provided that the following
+ * conditions are met:
+ *
+ * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+ *   copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ *   disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+ *   with the distribution.
+ *
+ * - Neither the name of the Eclipse Foundation, Inc. nor the
+ *   names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
+ *   products derived from this software without specific prior
+ *   written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND
+ * CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
+ * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
+ * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+ * NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+ * STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+ * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+package org.eclipse.jgit.util;
+
+/**
+ * Utility methods for object references
+ *
+ * @since 5.4
+ */
+public interface References {
+
+	/**
+	 * Compare two references
+	 *
+	 * @param <T>
+	 *            type of the references
+	 * @param ref1
+	 *            first reference
+	 * @param ref2
+	 *            second reference
+	 * @return {@code true} if both references refer to the same object
+	 */
+	@SuppressWarnings("ReferenceEquality")
+	public static <T> boolean isSameObject(T ref1, T ref2) {
+		return ref1 == ref2;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/StringUtils.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/StringUtils.java
index 3868e56f5..f4b6f9d0d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/StringUtils.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/StringUtils.java
@@ -139,8 +139,9 @@ public final class StringUtils {
 	 * @return true if a equals b
 	 */
 	public static boolean equalsIgnoreCase(String a, String b) {
-		if (a == b)
+		if (References.isSameObject(a, b)) {
 			return true;
+		}
 		if (a.length() != b.length())
 			return false;
 		for (int i = 0; i < a.length(); i++) {