diff --git a/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py b/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
index 90641a7635c..d47c607329c 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
@@ -321,7 +321,8 @@ class TestPlistlib(unittest.TestCase):
                     'second': [1, 2],
                     'third': [3, 4],
                 })
-                self.assertIsNot(pl2['first'], pl2['second'])
+                if fmt != plistlib.FMT_BINARY:
+                    self.assertIsNot(pl2['first'], pl2['second'])
 
     def test_list_members(self):
         pl = {