diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
index c64f6d8..f997e02 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
@@ -56,6 +56,19 @@ struct get_idx<Key, typename boost::enable_if<boost::is_signed<Key> >::type> {
   }
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+inline bool node::equals(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
+  T lhs;
+  if (convert<T>::decode(Node(*this, pMemory), lhs)) {
+    return lhs == rhs;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+inline bool node::equals(const char* rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
+  return equals<std::string>(rhs, pMemory);
+}
+
 // indexing
 template <typename Key>
 inline node* node_data::get(const Key& key,
@@ -75,8 +88,9 @@ inline node* node_data::get(const Key& key,
   }
 
   for (node_map::const_iterator it = m_map.begin(); it != m_map.end(); ++it) {
-    if (equals(*it->first, key, pMemory))
+    if (it->first->equals(key, pMemory)) {
       return it->second;
+    }
   }
 
   return NULL;
@@ -102,8 +116,9 @@ inline node& node_data::get(const Key& key, shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
   }
 
   for (node_map::const_iterator it = m_map.begin(); it != m_map.end(); ++it) {
-    if (equals(*it->first, key, pMemory))
+    if (it->first->equals(key, pMemory)) {
       return *it->second;
+    }
   }
 
   node& k = convert_to_node(key, pMemory);
@@ -148,20 +163,6 @@ inline void node_data::force_insert(const Key& key, const Value& value,
   insert_map_pair(k, v);
 }
 
-template <typename T>
-inline bool node_data::equals(node& node, const T& rhs,
-                              shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
-  T lhs;
-  if (convert<T>::decode(Node(node, pMemory), lhs))
-    return lhs == rhs;
-  return false;
-}
-
-inline bool node_data::equals(node& node, const char* rhs,
-                              shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
-  return equals<std::string>(node, rhs, pMemory);
-}
-
 template <typename T>
 inline node& node_data::convert_to_node(const T& rhs,
                                         shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h
index 59338f7..830958f 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ class node : private boost::noncopyable {
   const std::string& tag() const { return m_pRef->tag(); }
   EmitterStyle::value style() const { return m_pRef->style(); }
 
+  template <typename T>
+  bool equals(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
+  bool equals(const char* rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
+
   void mark_defined() {
     if (is_defined())
       return;
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
index 6023aab..10108cb 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
@@ -92,10 +92,6 @@ class YAML_CPP_API node_data : private boost::noncopyable {
   void convert_to_map(shared_memory_holder pMemory);
   void convert_sequence_to_map(shared_memory_holder pMemory);
 
-  template <typename T>
-  static bool equals(node& node, const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
-  static bool equals(node& node, const char* rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
-
   template <typename T>
   static node& convert_to_node(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
 
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
index 15de6f0..b32b456 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class YAML_CPP_API Node {
   friend class NodeBuilder;
   friend class NodeEvents;
   friend struct detail::iterator_value;
+  friend class detail::node;
   friend class detail::node_data;
   template <typename>
   friend class detail::iterator_base;