diff --git a/agent/agent.go b/agent/agent.go
index 60df8a602c..d092a8ec7c 100644
--- a/agent/agent.go
+++ b/agent/agent.go
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"math/rand"
-	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/moby/swarmkit/v2/agent/exec"
 	"github.com/moby/swarmkit/v2/api"
 	"github.com/moby/swarmkit/v2/log"
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func (a *Agent) run(ctx context.Context) {
 		// if the node description has changed, update it to the new one
 		// and close the session. The old session will be stopped and a
 		// new one will be created with the updated description
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(nodeDescription, newNodeDescription) {
+		if !proto.Equal(nodeDescription, newNodeDescription) {
 			nodeDescription = newNodeDescription
 			// close the session
 			log.G(ctx).Info("agent: found node update")
@@ -652,5 +652,5 @@ func nodesEqual(a, b *api.Node) bool {
 	a.Status, b.Status = api.NodeStatus{}, api.NodeStatus{}
 	a.Meta, b.Meta = api.Meta{}, api.Meta{}
 
-	return reflect.DeepEqual(a, b)
+	return proto.Equal(a, b)
 }