diff --git a/src/Neo.IO/ByteArrayComparer.cs b/src/Neo.IO/ByteArrayComparer.cs
index b59c5a28f5..4be5ef7330 100644
--- a/src/Neo.IO/ByteArrayComparer.cs
+++ b/src/Neo.IO/ByteArrayComparer.cs
@@ -29,16 +29,15 @@ private ByteArrayComparer(int direction)
 
         public int Compare(byte[]? x, byte[]? y)
         {
-            if (x is not null && y is not null && x == y) return 0;
+            if (x is null && y is null) return 0;
+            if (x == y) return 0;
             if (x is null && y is not null)
                 return _direction > 0 ? -y.Length : y.Length;
             if (y is null && x is not null)
                 return _direction > 0 ? x.Length : -x.Length;
-            if (x is not null && y is not null)
-                return _direction > 0 ?
-                    CompareInternal(x, y) :
-                    -CompareInternal(x, y);
-            return 0;
+            return _direction > 0 ?
+                    CompareInternal(x!, y!) :
+                    -CompareInternal(x!, y!);
         }
 
         [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]