diff --git a/types/sort.go b/types/sort.go
index 1704343c74f..8df4acb5d63 100644
--- a/types/sort.go
+++ b/types/sort.go
@@ -178,15 +178,25 @@ func equal(a, b Val) bool {
 	}
 	switch a.Tid {
 	case DateTimeID:
-		return a.Value.(time.Time).Equal((b.Value.(time.Time)))
+		aVal, aOk := a.Value.(time.Time)
+		bVal, bOk := b.Value.(time.Time)
+		return aOk && bOk && aVal.Equal(bVal)
 	case IntID:
-		return (a.Value.(int64)) == (b.Value.(int64))
+		aVal, aOk := a.Value.(int64)
+		bVal, bOk := b.Value.(int64)
+		return aOk && bOk && aVal == bVal
 	case FloatID:
-		return (a.Value.(float64)) == (b.Value.(float64))
+		aVal, aOk := a.Value.(float64)
+		bVal, bOk := b.Value.(float64)
+		return aOk && bOk && aVal == bVal
 	case StringID, DefaultID:
-		return (a.Value.(string)) == (b.Value.(string))
+		aVal, aOk := a.Value.(string)
+		bVal, bOk := b.Value.(string)
+		return aOk && bOk && aVal == bVal
 	case BoolID:
-		return a.Value.(bool) == (b.Value.(bool))
+		aVal, aOk := a.Value.(bool)
+		bVal, bOk := b.Value.(bool)
+		return aOk && bOk && aVal == bVal
 	}
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/types/sort_test.go b/types/sort_test.go
index 605dd012583..3f1ff912ede 100644
--- a/types/sort_test.go
+++ b/types/sort_test.go
@@ -122,6 +122,32 @@ func TestSortIntAndFloat(t *testing.T) {
 
 }
 
+func TestEqual(t *testing.T) {
+	require.True(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}, Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}),
+		"equal should return true for two equal values")
+
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}, Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(4)}),
+		"equal should return false for two different values")
+
+	// not equal when the types are different
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}, Val{Tid: FloatID, Value: float64(3.0)}),
+		"equal should return false for two values with different types")
+
+	// not equal when either parameter has the Value field being nil
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}, Val{Tid: IntID}),
+		"equal should return false when either parameter cannot have its value converted")
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID}, Val{Tid: IntID, Value: int64(3)}),
+		"equal should return false when either parameter cannot have its value converted")
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID}, Val{Tid: IntID}), "equal should return false when either parameter cannot have its value converted")
+
+	// not equal when there is a type mismatch between value and tid for either parameter
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: IntID, Value: float64(3.0)}, Val{Tid: FloatID, Value: float64(3.0)}),
+		"equal should return false when either parameter's value has a type mismatch with its Tid")
+	require.False(t, equal(Val{Tid: FloatID, Value: float64(3.0)}, Val{Tid: IntID, Value: float64(3.0)}),
+		"equal should return false when either parameter's value has a type mismatch with its Tid")
+
+}
+
 func findIndex(t *testing.T, uids []uint64, uid uint64) int {
 	for i := range uids {
 		if uids[i] == uid {