diff --git a/p2p/netutil/net.go b/p2p/netutil/net.go
index 656abb682..d5da3c694 100644
--- a/p2p/netutil/net.go
+++ b/p2p/netutil/net.go
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func sameNet(bits uint, ip, other net.IP) bool {
 	if mask != 0 && nb < len(ip) && ip[nb]&mask != other[nb]&mask {
 		return false
 	}
-	return nb <= len(ip) && bytes.Equal(ip[:nb], other[:nb])
+	return nb <= len(ip) && ip[:nb].Equal(other[:nb])
 }
 
 // DistinctNetSet tracks IPs, ensuring that at most N of them