diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index bdc0293ec..47be40779 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ require (
 	gopkg.in/go-jose/go-jose.v2 v2.6.3
 	gopkg.in/natefinch/lumberjack.v2 v2.2.1
 	k8s.io/api v0.0.0-20250503031400-f7e72be095ee
-	k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250503031111-512f488de379
+	k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250506031221-863c50fec75c
 	k8s.io/client-go v0.0.0-20250503031754-7aa362d5dd59
 	k8s.io/component-base v0.0.0-20250503032835-394b28e84ba2
 	k8s.io/klog/v2 v2.130.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a8958e7a5..5f2d5c409 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -369,8 +369,8 @@ honnef.co/go/tools v0.0.0-20190102054323-c2f93a96b099/go.mod h1:rf3lG4BRIbNafJWh
 honnef.co/go/tools v0.0.0-20190523083050-ea95bdfd59fc/go.mod h1:rf3lG4BRIbNafJWhAfAdb/ePZxsR/4RtNHQocxwk9r4=
 k8s.io/api v0.0.0-20250503031400-f7e72be095ee h1:+YExLdNpiASfnQXQfpyLIGIps0RcJPNt7NdiCVH8Bys=
 k8s.io/api v0.0.0-20250503031400-f7e72be095ee/go.mod h1:AsuSCzGYZszSLf5GB+qx8FBGGirk0I/TZUkQJFsPRAQ=
-k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250503031111-512f488de379 h1:SRKtgNyQVTGF7yOs8CXK9AhZMd/1g5h4YlHAkYVXq5Y=
-k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250503031111-512f488de379/go.mod h1:b+h1nads2hmyfwvvorkgHUriRTTaJ2p2mk0l03sESn8=
+k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250506031221-863c50fec75c h1:hSSNaL3pe6mN9q2QvuUT9PPDpgdfOoUTEWvBodVOM4Y=
+k8s.io/apimachinery v0.0.0-20250506031221-863c50fec75c/go.mod h1:b+h1nads2hmyfwvvorkgHUriRTTaJ2p2mk0l03sESn8=
 k8s.io/client-go v0.0.0-20250503031754-7aa362d5dd59 h1:n8NUttTLfP515BaQfYTG+ktgOhXknisqBRg2ttvGMzM=
 k8s.io/client-go v0.0.0-20250503031754-7aa362d5dd59/go.mod h1:M+V5ZD54hCEexMLVuebHThquNdpXZdNqpuDCoD1LjSM=
 k8s.io/component-base v0.0.0-20250503032835-394b28e84ba2 h1:Sn22KR7kHIivpSgJYqNzt5d2mBYBipLAXLK02SlVqHM=
diff --git a/pkg/cel/common/values_test.go b/pkg/cel/common/values_test.go
index 9610deced..7acfe6963 100644
--- a/pkg/cel/common/values_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cel/common/values_test.go
@@ -318,6 +318,16 @@ func TestToValue(t *testing.T) {
 				"s2": struct2,
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "compare: identical complex structs",
+			expression: "c1 == c2",
+			activation: map[string]typedValue{"c1": complex1, "c2": complex1Again},
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "compare: different complex structs",
+			expression: "c1 != c2",
+			activation: map[string]typedValue{"c1": complex1, "c2": complex2},
+		},
 		{
 			name:       "compare: struct and pointer to identical struct",
 			expression: "s1 == s1_ptr",
diff --git a/pkg/cel/common/valuesunstructured.go b/pkg/cel/common/valuesunstructured.go
index 0b8d52001..229916624 100644
--- a/pkg/cel/common/valuesunstructured.go
+++ b/pkg/cel/common/valuesunstructured.go
@@ -598,13 +598,17 @@ func (t *unstructuredMap) Equal(other ref.Val) ref.Val {
 	if t.Size() != oMap.Size() {
 		return types.False
 	}
+
 	for key, value := range t.value {
-		if propSchema, ok := t.propSchema(key); ok {
-			ov, found := oMap.Find(types.String(key))
-			if !found {
+		if _, ok := t.propSchema(key); ok {
+			v, found := t.Find(types.String(key))
+			ov, oFound := oMap.Find(types.String(key))
+			if found != oFound {
 				return types.False
 			}
-			v := UnstructuredToVal(value, propSchema)
+			if !found {
+				continue
+			}
 			vEq := v.Equal(ov)
 			if vEq != types.True {
 				return vEq // either false or error