diff --git a/qobject/qlit.c b/qobject/qlit.c
index dc0015f76c..3c4882c784 100644
--- a/qobject/qlit.c
+++ b/qobject/qlit.c
@@ -18,29 +18,6 @@
 #include "qapi/qmp/qlit.h"
 #include "qapi/qmp/types.h"
 
-typedef struct QListCompareHelper {
-    int index;
-    QLitObject *objs;
-    bool result;
-} QListCompareHelper;
-
-static void compare_helper(QObject *obj, void *opaque)
-{
-    QListCompareHelper *helper = opaque;
-
-    if (!helper->result) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    if (helper->objs[helper->index].type == QTYPE_NONE) {
-        helper->result = false;
-        return;
-    }
-
-    helper->result =
-        qlit_equal_qobject(&helper->objs[helper->index++], obj);
-}
-
 static bool qlit_equal_qdict(const QLitObject *lhs, const QDict *qdict)
 {
     int i;
@@ -62,6 +39,23 @@ static bool qlit_equal_qdict(const QLitObject *lhs, const QDict *qdict)
     return true;
 }
 
+static bool qlit_equal_qlist(const QLitObject *lhs, const QList *qlist)
+{
+    QListEntry *e;
+    int i = 0;
+
+    QLIST_FOREACH_ENTRY(qlist, e) {
+        QObject *obj = qlist_entry_obj(e);
+
+        if (!qlit_equal_qobject(&lhs->value.qlist[i], obj)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        i++;
+    }
+
+    return !e && lhs->value.qlist[i].type == QTYPE_NONE;
+}
+
 bool qlit_equal_qobject(const QLitObject *lhs, const QObject *rhs)
 {
     if (!rhs || lhs->type != qobject_type(rhs)) {
@@ -78,17 +72,8 @@ bool qlit_equal_qobject(const QLitObject *lhs, const QObject *rhs)
                        qstring_get_str(qobject_to_qstring(rhs))) == 0);
     case QTYPE_QDICT:
         return qlit_equal_qdict(lhs, qobject_to_qdict(rhs));
-    case QTYPE_QLIST: {
-        QListCompareHelper helper;
-
-        helper.index = 0;
-        helper.objs = lhs->value.qlist;
-        helper.result = true;
-
-        qlist_iter(qobject_to_qlist(rhs), compare_helper, &helper);
-
-        return helper.result;
-    }
+    case QTYPE_QLIST:
+        return qlit_equal_qlist(lhs, qobject_to_qlist(rhs));
     case QTYPE_QNULL:
         return true;
     default:
diff --git a/tests/check-qlit.c b/tests/check-qlit.c
index d2ecc200d3..c59ec1ab88 100644
--- a/tests/check-qlit.c
+++ b/tests/check-qlit.c
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ static void qlit_equal_qobject_test(void)
 
     g_assert(!qlit_equal_qobject(&qlit_foo, qobj));
 
+    qdict_put(qobject_to_qdict(qobj), "bee", qlist_new());
+    g_assert(!qlit_equal_qobject(&qlit, qobj));
+
     qobject_decref(qobj);
 }