diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/head_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/head_test.go
index 27e136967..a37c860bc 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/head_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/head_test.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func TestSaveHead_Different(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, cachedRoot, newRoot[:], "Head did not change")
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, newHeadSignedBlock, service.headBlock(), "Head did not change")
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.CloneInnerState(), service.headState(ctx).CloneInnerState(), "Head did not change")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.CloneInnerState(), service.headState(ctx).CloneInnerState(), "Head did not change")
 }
 
 func TestSaveHead_Different_Reorg(t *testing.T) {
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func TestSaveHead_Different_Reorg(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("Head did not change")
 	}
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, newHeadSignedBlock, service.headBlock(), "Head did not change")
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.CloneInnerState(), service.headState(ctx).CloneInnerState(), "Head did not change")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.CloneInnerState(), service.headState(ctx).CloneInnerState(), "Head did not change")
 	require.LogsContain(t, hook, "Chain reorg occurred")
 }
 
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_attestation_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_attestation_test.go
index c55e88fce..3c5976aaa 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_attestation_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_attestation_test.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	types "github.com/prysmaticlabs/eth2-types"
 	ethpb "github.com/prysmaticlabs/ethereumapis/eth/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/beacon-chain/core/helpers"
@@ -260,9 +259,7 @@ func TestStore_UpdateCheckpointState(t *testing.T) {
 
 	cached, err = service.checkpointStateCache.StateByCheckpoint(newCheckpoint)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	if !proto.Equal(returned.InnerStateUnsafe(), cached.InnerStateUnsafe()) {
-		t.Error("Incorrectly cached base state")
-	}
+	require.DeepSSZEqual(t, returned.InnerStateUnsafe(), cached.InnerStateUnsafe())
 }
 
 func TestAttEpoch_MatchPrevEpoch(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/service_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/service_test.go
index 33920fac6..af7c18f77 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/service_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/service_test.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func TestChainService_InitializeChainInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, headBlock, headBlk, "Head block incorrect")
 	s, err := c.HeadState(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
 	assert.Equal(t, c.HeadSlot(), headBlock.Block.Slot, "Head slot incorrect")
 	r, err := c.HeadRoot(context.Background())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func TestChainService_InitializeChainInfo_SetHeadAtGenesis(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, c.initializeChainInfo(ctx))
 	s, err := c.HeadState(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
 	assert.Equal(t, genesisRoot, c.genesisRoot, "Genesis block root incorrect")
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, genesis, c.head.block)
 }
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func TestChainService_InitializeChainInfo_HeadSync(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, c.initializeChainInfo(ctx))
 	s, err := c.HeadState(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
 	assert.Equal(t, genesisRoot, c.genesisRoot, "Genesis block root incorrect")
 	// Since head sync is not triggered, chain is initialized to the last finalization checkpoint.
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, finalizedBlock, c.head.block)
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ func TestChainService_InitializeChainInfo_HeadSync(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, c.initializeChainInfo(ctx))
 	s, err = c.HeadState(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
+	assert.DeepSSZEqual(t, headState.InnerStateUnsafe(), s.InnerStateUnsafe(), "Head state incorrect")
 	assert.Equal(t, genesisRoot, c.genesisRoot, "Genesis block root incorrect")
 	// Head slot is far beyond the latest finalized checkpoint, head sync is triggered.
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, headBlock, c.head.block)