diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/base/tests/test_support.py b/nipype/interfaces/base/tests/test_support.py
index 3997a88280..6bac7d0852 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/base/tests/test_support.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/base/tests/test_support.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def test_bunch_methods():
     assert b.get("a") == 3
     assert b.get("badkey", "otherthing") == "otherthing"
     assert b != newb
-    assert type(dict()) == type(newb)
+    assert type(dict()) is type(newb)
     assert newb["a"] == 3
 
 
diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/fsl/tests/test_base.py b/nipype/interfaces/fsl/tests/test_base.py
index 2b07381e81..1a76d0f6a5 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/fsl/tests/test_base.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/fsl/tests/test_base.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def test_FSLCommand():
     # testing the one item that is not.
     cmd = fsl.FSLCommand(command="ls")
     res = cmd.run()
-    assert type(res) == InterfaceResult
+    assert type(res) is InterfaceResult
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(no_fsl(), reason="fsl is not installed")
diff --git a/nipype/pipeline/engine/tests/test_workflows.py b/nipype/pipeline/engine/tests/test_workflows.py
index 9b06eb56bb..12d56de285 100644
--- a/nipype/pipeline/engine/tests/test_workflows.py
+++ b/nipype/pipeline/engine/tests/test_workflows.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def test_init():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         pe.Workflow()
     pipe = pe.Workflow(name="pipe")
-    assert type(pipe._graph) == nx.DiGraph
+    assert type(pipe._graph) is nx.DiGraph
 
 
 def test_connect():
diff --git a/nipype/scripts/utils.py b/nipype/scripts/utils.py
index 77e7231bea..8d8dc52627 100644
--- a/nipype/scripts/utils.py
+++ b/nipype/scripts/utils.py
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ def add_args_options(arg_parser, interface):
             if not spec.is_trait_type(traits.TraitCompound):
                 trait_type = type(spec.trait_type.default_value)
             if trait_type in (bytes, str, int, float):
-                if trait_type == bytes:
+                if trait_type is bytes:
                     trait_type = str
                 args["type"] = trait_type
         elif len(spec.inner_traits) == 1:
             trait_type = type(spec.inner_traits[0].trait_type.default_value)
-            if trait_type == bytes:
+            if trait_type is bytes:
                 trait_type = str
             if trait_type in (bytes, bool, str, int, float):
                 args["type"] = trait_type