diff --git a/array.c b/array.c
index 59572ec..4e8b4e7 100644
--- a/array.c
+++ b/array.c
@@ -3181,9 +3181,19 @@ static VALUE
 recursive_equal(VALUE ary1, VALUE ary2, int recur)
 {
     long i;
+    VALUE *p1, *p2;
 
     if (recur) return Qtrue; /* Subtle! */
-    for (i=0; i<RARRAY_LEN(ary1); i++) {
+
+    p1 = RARRAY_PTR(ary1);
+    p2 = RARRAY_PTR(ary2);
+
+    for (i = 0; i<RARRAY_LEN(ary1) && *p1 == *p2; i++) {
+	p1++;
+	p2++;
+    }
+
+    for (; i<RARRAY_LEN(ary1); i++) {
 	if (!rb_equal(rb_ary_elt(ary1, i), rb_ary_elt(ary2, i)))
 	    return Qfalse;
     }