diff --git a/gst/gstvalue.c b/gst/gstvalue.c
index 044db84f96..ee6d19af83 100644
--- a/gst/gstvalue.c
+++ b/gst/gstvalue.c
@@ -1979,13 +1979,14 @@ gst_value_deserialize_structure (GValue * dest, const gchar * s)
  *************/
 
 static gint
-gst_value_compare_buffer (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
+compare_buffer (GstBuffer * buf1, GstBuffer * buf2)
 {
-  GstBuffer *buf1 = gst_value_get_buffer (value1);
-  GstBuffer *buf2 = gst_value_get_buffer (value2);
   gsize size1, size2;
   GstMapInfo info1, info2;
-  gint result = GST_VALUE_UNORDERED;
+  gint result, mret;
+
+  if (buf1 == buf2)
+    return GST_VALUE_EQUAL;
 
   size1 = gst_buffer_get_size (buf1);
   size2 = gst_buffer_get_size (buf2);
@@ -2004,8 +2005,13 @@ gst_value_compare_buffer (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
     return GST_VALUE_UNORDERED;
   }
 
-  if (memcmp (info1.data, info2.data, info1.size) == 0)
+  mret = memcmp (info1.data, info2.data, info1.size);
+  if (mret == 0)
     result = GST_VALUE_EQUAL;
+  else if (mret < 0)
+    result = GST_VALUE_LESS_THAN;
+  else
+    result = GST_VALUE_GREATER_THAN;
 
   gst_buffer_unmap (buf1, &info1);
   gst_buffer_unmap (buf2, &info2);
@@ -2013,6 +2019,15 @@ gst_value_compare_buffer (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
   return result;
 }
 
+static gint
+gst_value_compare_buffer (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
+{
+  GstBuffer *buf1 = gst_value_get_buffer (value1);
+  GstBuffer *buf2 = gst_value_get_buffer (value2);
+
+  return compare_buffer (buf1, buf2);
+}
+
 static gchar *
 gst_value_serialize_buffer (const GValue * value)
 {
@@ -2094,6 +2109,20 @@ wrong_char:
   }
 }
 
+/*************
+ * GstSample *
+ *************/
+
+/* This function is mostly used for comparing image/buffer tags in taglists */
+static gint
+gst_value_compare_sample (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
+{
+  GstBuffer *buf1 = gst_sample_get_buffer (gst_value_get_sample (value1));
+  GstBuffer *buf2 = gst_sample_get_buffer (gst_value_get_sample (value2));
+
+  /* FIXME: should we take into account anything else such as caps? */
+  return compare_buffer (buf1, buf2);
+}
 
 /***********
  * boolean *
@@ -5763,6 +5792,17 @@ _priv_gst_value_initialize (void)
     gst_value.type = GST_TYPE_BUFFER;
     gst_value_register (&gst_value);
   }
+  {
+    static GstValueTable gst_value = {
+      0,
+      gst_value_compare_sample,
+      NULL,
+      NULL,
+    };
+
+    gst_value.type = GST_TYPE_SAMPLE;
+    gst_value_register (&gst_value);
+  }
   {
     static GstValueTable gst_value = {
       0,
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gsttag.c b/tests/check/gst/gsttag.c
index 9dcca2d80d..a8e612e99f 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gsttag.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gsttag.c
@@ -452,6 +452,8 @@ GST_END_TEST;
 GST_START_TEST (test_equal)
 {
   GstTagList *tags, *tags2;
+  GstSample *sample1, *sample2, *sample11;
+  GstBuffer *buf;
 
   tags = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
   gst_tag_list_add (tags, GST_TAG_MERGE_APPEND, GST_TAG_ARTIST, "Foo", NULL);
@@ -482,6 +484,48 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_equal)
 
   gst_tag_list_unref (tags);
   gst_tag_list_unref (tags2);
+
+  /* samples */
+  buf = gst_buffer_new_wrapped (g_strdup ("test 1-2-3"), 10);
+  sample1 = gst_sample_new (buf, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  gst_buffer_unref (buf);
+
+  buf = gst_buffer_new_wrapped (g_strdup ("test 1-2-3"), 10);
+  sample11 = gst_sample_new (buf, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  gst_buffer_unref (buf);
+
+  buf = gst_buffer_new_wrapped (g_strdup ("test 2-3-4-5"), 12);
+  sample2 = gst_sample_new (buf, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  gst_buffer_unref (buf);
+
+  tags = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
+  gst_tag_list_add (tags, GST_TAG_MERGE_APPEND, GST_TAG_IMAGE, sample1, NULL);
+
+  tags2 = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
+  fail_unless (!gst_tag_list_is_equal (tags2, tags));
+
+  /* sample sample, should be very equal now */
+  gst_tag_list_add (tags2, GST_TAG_MERGE_APPEND, GST_TAG_IMAGE, sample1, NULL);
+  fail_unless (gst_tag_list_is_equal (tags2, tags));
+  gst_tag_list_unref (tags2);
+
+  /* same buffer content, but different buffer instances, still rather equal */
+  tags2 = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
+  gst_tag_list_add (tags2, GST_TAG_MERGE_APPEND, GST_TAG_IMAGE, sample11, NULL);
+  fail_unless (gst_tag_list_is_equal (tags2, tags));
+  gst_tag_list_unref (tags2);
+
+  /* different buffer content, should not be equal */
+  tags2 = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
+  gst_tag_list_add (tags2, GST_TAG_MERGE_APPEND, GST_TAG_IMAGE, sample2, NULL);
+  fail_unless (!gst_tag_list_is_equal (tags2, tags));
+  gst_tag_list_unref (tags2);
+
+  gst_tag_list_unref (tags);
+
+  gst_sample_unref (sample1);
+  gst_sample_unref (sample11);
+  gst_sample_unref (sample2);
 }
 
 GST_END_TEST;