diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toEqual.ts b/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
index e19652829d..4296444a7b 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { matcherHint } from './matcherHint';
 import type { MatcherResult } from './matcherHint';
 import type { ExpectMatcherState } from '../../types/test';
 import type { Locator } from 'playwright-core';
+import { isRegExp } from 'playwright-core/lib/utils';
 
 // Omit colon and one or more spaces, so can call getLabelPrinter.
 const EXPECTED_LABEL = 'Expected';
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ export async function toEqual<T>(
   } else if (Array.isArray(expected) && Array.isArray(received)) {
     const normalizedExpected = expected.map((exp, index) => {
       const rec = received[index];
-      if (exp instanceof RegExp)
+      if (isRegExp(exp))
         return exp.test(rec) ? rec : exp;
 
       return exp;