diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/orchard/tree.rs b/zebra-chain/src/orchard/tree.rs
index 9862bd8f7..8a2acf5b8 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/orchard/tree.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/orchard/tree.rs
@@ -428,7 +428,13 @@ impl Eq for NoteCommitmentTree {}
 
 impl PartialEq for NoteCommitmentTree {
     fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
-        self.hash() == other.hash()
+        if let (Some(root), Some(other_root)) = (self.cached_root(), other.cached_root()) {
+            // Use cached roots if available
+            root == other_root
+        } else {
+            // Avoid expensive root recalculations which use multiple cryptographic hashes
+            self.inner == other.inner
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/sapling/tree.rs b/zebra-chain/src/sapling/tree.rs
index 5b5bed239..75eea88e1 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/sapling/tree.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/sapling/tree.rs
@@ -423,7 +423,13 @@ impl Eq for NoteCommitmentTree {}
 
 impl PartialEq for NoteCommitmentTree {
     fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
-        self.hash() == other.hash()
+        if let (Some(root), Some(other_root)) = (self.cached_root(), other.cached_root()) {
+            // Use cached roots if available
+            root == other_root
+        } else {
+            // Avoid expensive root recalculations which use multiple cryptographic hashes
+            self.inner == other.inner
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/sprout/tree.rs b/zebra-chain/src/sprout/tree.rs
index 2b70b0a36..5c9269283 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/sprout/tree.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/sprout/tree.rs
@@ -377,7 +377,13 @@ impl Eq for NoteCommitmentTree {}
 
 impl PartialEq for NoteCommitmentTree {
     fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
-        self.hash() == other.hash()
+        if let (Some(root), Some(other_root)) = (self.cached_root(), other.cached_root()) {
+            // Use cached roots if available
+            root == other_root
+        } else {
+            // Avoid expensive root recalculations which use multiple cryptographic hashes
+            self.inner == other.inner
+        }
     }
 }