diff --git a/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp b/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
index 72afdacab..83761a681 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
@@ -65,11 +65,15 @@ private:
     bool image_filters_inflate_;
     friend void swap(feature_type_style& lhs, feature_type_style & rhs);
 public:
+    // ctor
     feature_type_style();
     feature_type_style(feature_type_style const& rhs);
     feature_type_style(feature_type_style &&) = default;
     feature_type_style& operator=(feature_type_style rhs);
 
+    // comparison
+    bool operator==(feature_type_style const& rhs) const;
+
     void add_rule(rule && rule);
     rules const& get_rules() const;
     rules& get_rules_nonconst();
diff --git a/src/feature_type_style.cpp b/src/feature_type_style.cpp
index c35cd3a25..4abbba4a8 100644
--- a/src/feature_type_style.cpp
+++ b/src/feature_type_style.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,17 @@ void swap( feature_type_style & lhs, feature_type_style & rhs)
     std::swap(lhs.image_filters_inflate_, rhs.image_filters_inflate_);
 }
 
+bool feature_type_style::operator==(feature_type_style const& rhs) const
+{
+    return (rules_ == rhs.rules_) &&
+        (filter_mode_ == rhs.filter_mode_) &&
+        (filters_ == rhs.filters_) &&
+        (direct_filters_ == rhs.direct_filters_) &&
+        (comp_op_ == rhs.comp_op_) &&
+        (opacity_ == rhs.opacity_) &&
+        (image_filters_inflate_ == rhs.image_filters_inflate_);
+}
+
 void feature_type_style::add_rule(rule && rule)
 {
     rules_.push_back(std::move(rule));