3 files changed, 12 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/include/gras/element.hpp b/include/gras/element.hpp
index 0bebc14..40a24cf 100644
--- a/include/gras/element.hpp
+++ b/include/gras/element.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ struct GRAS_API Element : ElementBase, boost::enable_shared_from_this<Element>
 
     /*virtual*/ ~Element(void);
 
+    /*!
+     * Check if another element is the same as this one.
+     * \return true if the rhs is the same as *this.
+     */
+    bool equals(const Element &rhs);
+
     /*******************************************************************
      * identification interface
      ******************************************************************/
diff --git a/include/gras/element.i b/include/gras/element.i
index be3814e..8f04a3d 100644
--- a/include/gras/element.i
+++ b/include/gras/element.i
@@ -34,22 +34,13 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Operator overloads for Element
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-%{
-
-inline bool gras_element_equal(const gras::Element &lhs, const gras::Element &rhs)
-{
-    return lhs.get() == rhs.get();
-}
-
-%}
-
 %extend gras::Element
 {
     %insert("python")
     %{
         def __eq__(self, rhs):
             if not isinstance(rhs, Element): return False
-            return gras_element_equal(self, rhs)
+            return self.equals(rhs)
 
         def __str__(self):
             return self.to_string()
diff --git a/lib/element.cpp b/lib/element.cpp
index f291310..6736011 100644
--- a/lib/element.cpp
+++ b/lib/element.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ ElementImpl::~ElementImpl(void)
     if (this->block) this->block_cleanup();
 }
 
+bool Element::equals(const Element &rhs)
+{
+    return this->get() == rhs.get();
+}
+
 long Element::unique_id(void) const
 {
     return (*this)->unique_id;