diff --git a/domain/consensus/utils/subnetworks/compare.go b/domain/consensus/utils/subnetworks/compare.go
index 12cda20da..af1a06358 100644
--- a/domain/consensus/utils/subnetworks/compare.go
+++ b/domain/consensus/utils/subnetworks/compare.go
@@ -21,3 +21,14 @@ func cmp(a, b externalapi.DomainSubnetworkID) int {
 func Less(a, b externalapi.DomainSubnetworkID) bool {
 	return cmp(a, b) < 0
 }
+
+// IsEqual returns true if a and b are equal or both nil
+func IsEqual(a, b *externalapi.DomainSubnetworkID) bool {
+	if a == nil && b == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	if a == nil || b == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return *a == *b
+}