diff --git a/libs/ardour/test/test_util.cc b/libs/ardour/test/test_util.cc
index 8b4fba6baf..7c2cfcf020 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/test/test_util.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/test/test_util.cc
@@ -49,11 +49,10 @@ check_nodes (XMLNode const * p, XMLNode const * q, list<string> const & ignore_p
 
 	XMLPropertyList const & pp = p->properties ();
 	XMLPropertyList const & qp = q->properties ();
-	CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL (qp.size(), pp.size());
 
 	XMLPropertyList::const_iterator i = pp.begin ();
 	XMLPropertyList::const_iterator j = qp.begin ();
-	while (i != pp.end ()) {
+	while (i != pp.end () && j != qp.end ()) {
 		CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL ((*j)->name(), (*i)->name());
 		if (find (ignore_properties.begin(), ignore_properties.end(), (*i)->name ()) == ignore_properties.end ()) {
 			CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL_MESSAGE ((*j)->name(), (*i)->value(), (*i)->value());
@@ -62,18 +61,21 @@ check_nodes (XMLNode const * p, XMLNode const * q, list<string> const & ignore_p
 		++j;
 	}
 
+	CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL (qp.size(), pp.size());
+
 	XMLNodeList const & pc = p->children ();
 	XMLNodeList const & qc = q->children ();
 
-	CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL (qc.size(), pc.size());
 	XMLNodeList::const_iterator k = pc.begin ();
 	XMLNodeList::const_iterator l = qc.begin ();
 
-	while (k != pc.end ()) {
+	while (k != pc.end () && l != qc.end ()) {
 		check_nodes (*k, *l, ignore_properties);
 		++k;
 		++l;
 	}
+
+	CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL (qc.size(), pc.size());
 }
 
 void