diff --git a/test/objects/exception.hpp b/test/objects/exception.hpp
index 68595eab..ff753763 100644
--- a/test/objects/exception.hpp
+++ b/test/objects/exception.hpp
@@ -259,13 +259,11 @@ namespace test {
       bool operator()(std::pair<object, object> const& x1,
         std::pair<object, object> const& x2) const
       {
-        if (less_impl(x1.first, x2.first)) {
-          return true;
-        }
-        if (!less_impl(x1.first, x2.first)) {
-          return false;
-        }
-        return less_impl(x1.second, x2.second);
+        bool const first_is_eq =
+          !less_impl(x1.first, x2.first) && !less_impl(x2.first, x1.first);
+
+        return less_impl(x1.first, x2.first) ||
+               (first_is_eq && less_impl(x1.second, x2.second));
       }
 
       bool less_impl(object const& x1, object const& x2) const