diff --git a/ophyd/tests/test_utils.py b/ophyd/tests/test_utils.py
index faf1ff6cc..2fd1a26d4 100644
--- a/ophyd/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/ophyd/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -133,3 +133,44 @@ def get(self):
 def test_set_signal_to_None():
     s = Signal(value="0", name="bob")
     s.set(None).wait(timeout=1)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "a, b, enums, atol, rtol, expected",
+    [
+        # compare enums
+        [0, 0, "NO YES".split(), None, None, True],
+        [0, 1, "NO YES".split(), None, None, False],
+        ["NO", 0, "NO YES".split(), None, None, True],
+        ["NO", 1, "NO YES".split(), None, None, False],
+        [0, "YES", "NO YES".split(), None, None, False],
+        [1, "YES", "NO YES".split(), None, None, True],
+        ["NO", "YES", "NO YES".split(), None, None, False],
+        ["YES", "YES", "NO YES".split(), None, None, True],
+        # compare array shapes
+        [[1, 2, 3], [1, 2, 3], [], None, None, True],  # identical
+        [[1, 2, 3], [0, 0, 0], [], None, None, False],  # b has different values
+        [[1, 2, 3], [1, 2, 3, 0], [], None, None, False],  # different shape
+        # [[1, 2, 3], [1, 2, 3, 0], [], None, 1e-8, False],  # raises ValueError
+        [5, [1, 2, 3], [], None, None, False],  # not the same type
+        [[1, 2, 3], 5, [], None, None, False],  # not the same type
+        # numpy arrays
+        [[1, 2, 3], np.array([1, 2, 3]), [], None, None, True],  # identical
+        # tuple
+        [(1, 2, 3), np.array([1, 2, 3]), [], None, None, True],  # identical
+        # with tolerance
+        [[1, 2, 3.0], [1, 2, 3.12345], [], 0.01, None, False],
+        [[1, 2, 3.0], [1, 2, 3.12345], [], 0.2, None, True],
+        # absolute tolerance
+        [3, 3.12345, [], None, 0.01, False],
+        [3, 3.12345, [], None, 0.2, True],
+        [True, False, [], None, None, False],  # booleans
+        [1, 1, [], None, None, True],  # integers
+        # relative tolerance
+        [3, 3.12345, [], 0.01, None, False],
+        [3, 3.12345, [], 0.2, None, True],
+    ],
+)
+def test_compare_maybe_enum(a, b, enums, atol, rtol, expected):
+    result = epics_utils._compare_maybe_enum(a, b, enums, atol, rtol)
+    assert result == expected
diff --git a/ophyd/utils/epics_pvs.py b/ophyd/utils/epics_pvs.py
index 1edd66adf..ce3733e0c 100644
--- a/ophyd/utils/epics_pvs.py
+++ b/ophyd/utils/epics_pvs.py
@@ -267,7 +267,10 @@ def _wait_for_value(signal, val, poll_time=0.01, timeout=10, rtol=None, atol=Non
     TimeoutError if timeout is exceeded
     """
     expiration_time = ttime.time() + timeout if timeout is not None else None
-    current_value = signal.get()
+    get_kwargs = {}
+    if isinstance(val, (list, np.ndarray, tuple)):
+        get_kwargs["count"] = len(val)
+    current_value = signal.get(**get_kwargs)
 
     if atol is None and hasattr(signal, "tolerance"):
         atol = signal.tolerance
@@ -305,7 +308,7 @@ def _wait_for_value(signal, val, poll_time=0.01, timeout=10, rtol=None, atol=Non
         ttime.sleep(poll_time)
         if poll_time < 0.1:
             poll_time *= 2  # logarithmic back-off
-        current_value = signal.get()
+        current_value = signal.get(**get_kwargs)
         if expiration_time is not None and ttime.time() > expiration_time:
             raise TimeoutError(
                 "Attempted to set %r to value %r and timed "