diff --git a/spec/core/matchers/matchersUtilSpec.js b/spec/core/matchers/matchersUtilSpec.js
index d6ab504e..9cabd1a2 100644
--- a/spec/core/matchers/matchersUtilSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/matchers/matchersUtilSpec.js
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ describe("matchersUtil", function() {
       expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(new Error("foo"), new Error("bar"))).toBe(false);
     });
 
+    it("fails for objects with different constructors", function() {
+      function One() {}
+      function Two() {}
+
+      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(new One(), new Two())).toBe(false);
+    });
+
     it("passes for Objects that are equivalent (simple case)", function() {
       expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals({a: "foo"}, {a: "foo"})).toBe(true);
     });
@@ -149,70 +156,81 @@ describe("matchersUtil", function() {
       expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
     });
 
-    it("passes for equivalent DOM nodes", function() {
-      if (typeof document === 'undefined') {
-        return;
-      }
-      var a = document.createElement("div");
-      a.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value")
-      a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+    describe("when running in a browser", function() {
+      beforeEach(function() {
+        if (typeof document === 'undefined') {
+          pending();
+        }
+      });
 
-      var b = document.createElement("div");
-      b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value")
-      b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+      it("passes for equivalent DOM nodes", function() {
+        var a = document.createElement("div");
+        a.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value");
+        a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
 
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
+        var b = document.createElement("div");
+        b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value");
+        b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
+      });
+
+      it("passes for equivalent objects from different frames", function() {
+        var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
+        document.body.appendChild(iframe);
+        iframe.contentWindow.eval('window.testObject = {}');
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals({}, iframe.contentWindow.testObject)).toBe(true);
+        document.body.removeChild(iframe);
+      });
+
+      it("fails for DOM nodes with different attributes or child nodes", function() {
+        var a = document.createElement("div");
+        a.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value")
+        a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+
+        var b = document.createElement("div");
+        b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value2")
+        b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(false);
+
+        b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value");
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
+
+        b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('2'));
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(false);
+
+        a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('2'));
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
+      });
     });
 
-    it("fails for DOM nodes with different attributes or child nodes", function() {
-      if (typeof document === 'undefined') {
-        return;
-      }
-      var a = document.createElement("div");
-      a.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value")
-      a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+    describe("when running in Node", function() {
+      beforeEach(function() {
+        if (typeof require !== 'function') {
+          pending();
+        }
+      });
 
-      var b = document.createElement("div");
-      b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value2")
-      b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('test'));
+      it("passes for equivalent objects from different vm contexts", function() {
+        var vm = require('vm');
+        var sandbox = {
+          obj: null
+        };
+        vm.runInNewContext('obj = {a: 1, b: 2}', sandbox);
 
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(false);
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(sandbox.obj, {a: 1, b: 2})).toBe(true);
+      });
 
-      b.setAttribute("test-attr", "attr-value");
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
+      it("passes for equivalent arrays from different vm contexts", function() {
+        var vm = require('vm');
+        var sandbox = {
+          arr: null
+        };
+        vm.runInNewContext('arr = [1, 2]', sandbox);
 
-      b.appendChild(document.createTextNode('2'));
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(false);
-
-      a.appendChild(document.createTextNode('2'));
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(a,b)).toBe(true);
-    });
-
-    it("passes for equivalent objects from different vm contexts", function() {
-      if (typeof require !== 'function') {
-        return;
-      }
-      var vm = require('vm');
-      var sandbox = {
-        obj: null
-      };
-      vm.runInNewContext('obj = {a: 1, b: 2}', sandbox);
-
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(sandbox.obj, {a: 1, b: 2})).toBe(true);
-    });
-
-    it("passes for equivalent arrays from different vm contexts", function() {
-      if (typeof require !== 'function') {
-        return;
-      }
-
-      var vm = require('vm');
-      var sandbox = {
-        arr: null
-      };
-      vm.runInNewContext('arr = [1, 2]', sandbox);
-
-      expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(sandbox.arr, [1, 2])).toBe(true);
+        expect(jasmineUnderTest.matchersUtil.equals(sandbox.arr, [1, 2])).toBe(true);
+      });
     });
 
     it("passes when Any is used", function() {
diff --git a/src/core/matchers/matchersUtil.js b/src/core/matchers/matchersUtil.js
index ef92c1d4..db1545be 100644
--- a/src/core/matchers/matchersUtil.js
+++ b/src/core/matchers/matchersUtil.js
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().matchersUtil = function(j$) {
       // Objects with different constructors are not equivalent, but `Object`s
       // or `Array`s from different frames are.
       var aCtor = a.constructor, bCtor = b.constructor;
-      if (aCtor !== bCtor && !(isFunction(aCtor) && aCtor instanceof aCtor &&
-                               isFunction(bCtor) && bCtor instanceof bCtor)) {
+      if (aCtor !== bCtor && !(isObjectConstructor(aCtor) &&
+                               isObjectConstructor(bCtor))) {
         return false;
       }
     }
@@ -231,13 +231,21 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().matchersUtil = function(j$) {
 
       return extraKeys;
     }
+  }
+  
+  function has(obj, key) {
+    return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key);
+  }
 
-    function has(obj, key) {
-      return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key);
-    }
+  function isFunction(obj) {
+    return typeof obj === 'function';
+  }
 
-    function isFunction(obj) {
-      return typeof obj === 'function';
-    }
+  function isObjectConstructor(ctor) {
+    // aCtor instanceof aCtor is true for the Object and Function
+    // constructors (since a constructor is-a Function and a function is-a
+    // Object). We don't just compare ctor === Object because the constructor
+    // might come from a different frame with different globals.
+    return isFunction(ctor) && ctor instanceof ctor;
   }
 };