diff --git a/lib/jasmine-0.10.1.js b/lib/jasmine-0.10.1.js
index 6cf0b57..f1d7ff9 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-0.10.1.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-0.10.1.js
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ jasmine.isArray_ = function(value) {
   return Object.prototype.toString.apply(value) === '[object Array]';
 };
 
+/**
+ * @ignore
+ * @private
+ * @param value
+ * @returns {Boolean}
+ */
+jasmine.isString_ = function(value) {
+  return Object.prototype.toString.apply(value) === '[object String]';
+};
+
 /**
  * Pretty printer for expecations.  Takes any object and turns it into a human-readable string.
  *
@@ -822,6 +832,10 @@ jasmine.Env.prototype.equals_ = function(a, b, mismatchKeys, mismatchValues) {
     return b.matches(a);
   }
 
+  if (jasmine.isString_(a) && jasmine.isString_(b)) {
+    return (a == b);
+  }
+
   if (typeof a === "object" && typeof b === "object") {
     return this.compareObjects_(a, b, mismatchKeys, mismatchValues);
   }
@@ -2275,5 +2289,5 @@ jasmine.version_= {
   "major": 0,
   "minor": 10,
   "build": 1,
-  "revision": 1268680515
+  "revision": 1268838574
   };
diff --git a/spec/suites/MatchersSpec.js b/spec/suites/MatchersSpec.js
index 6d54bb1..faae5e4 100644
--- a/spec/suites/MatchersSpec.js
+++ b/spec/suites/MatchersSpec.js
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ describe("jasmine.Matchers", function() {
 
     expect((match(['a', 'b']).toEqual(['a', jasmine.undefined]))).toEqual(false);
     expect((match(['a', 'b']).toEqual(['a', 'b', jasmine.undefined]))).toEqual(false);
+
+    expect((match(new String("cat")).toEqual("cat"))).toBe(true);
+    expect((match(new String("cat")).toNotEqual("cat"))).toBe(false);
   });
 
   it("toEqual to build an Expectation Result", function() {
diff --git a/src/Env.js b/src/Env.js
index 8a50035..38262e5 100644
--- a/src/Env.js
+++ b/src/Env.js
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ jasmine.Env.prototype.equals_ = function(a, b, mismatchKeys, mismatchValues) {
     return b.matches(a);
   }
 
+  if (jasmine.isString_(a) && jasmine.isString_(b)) {
+    return (a == b);
+  }
+
   if (typeof a === "object" && typeof b === "object") {
     return this.compareObjects_(a, b, mismatchKeys, mismatchValues);
   }
diff --git a/src/base.js b/src/base.js
index fc4837b..751fc15 100755
--- a/src/base.js
+++ b/src/base.js
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ jasmine.isArray_ = function(value) {
   return Object.prototype.toString.apply(value) === '[object Array]';
 };
 
+/**
+ * @ignore
+ * @private
+ * @param value
+ * @returns {Boolean}
+ */
+jasmine.isString_ = function(value) {
+  return Object.prototype.toString.apply(value) === '[object String]';
+};
+
 /**
  * Pretty printer for expecations.  Takes any object and turns it into a human-readable string.
  *