diff --git a/pkg/cookiebanner/equal.go b/pkg/cookiebanner/equal.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee32194af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cookiebanner/equal.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Probo Inc <hello@getprobo.com>.
+//
+// Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+// purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+// copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH
+// REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
+// AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT,
+// INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM
+// LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
+// OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
+// PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+
+package cookiebanner
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+)
+
+// ptrEqual reports whether two nullable values are equal: both nil are equal,
+// one nil is not equal to a non-nil, otherwise the pointed-to values are
+// compared with ==.
+func ptrEqual[T comparable](a, b *T) bool {
+	if a == nil || b == nil {
+		return a == b
+	}
+	return *a == *b
+}
+
+// jsonEqual reports whether two JSON blobs are semantically identical after
+// normalising whitespace and key ordering. Array element order is preserved
+// as significant.
+func jsonEqual(a, b json.RawMessage) (bool, error) {
+	var av, bv any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(a, &av); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot unmarshal first json blob: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &bv); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot unmarshal second json blob: %w", err)
+	}
+	return reflect.DeepEqual(av, bv), nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cookiebanner/service.go b/pkg/cookiebanner/service.go
index 7895e2621..9ed3b0d60 100644
--- a/pkg/cookiebanner/service.go
+++ b/pkg/cookiebanner/service.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 
 	"go.gearno.de/kit/pg"
 	"go.probo.inc/probo/pkg/coredata"
-	"go.probo.inc/probo/pkg/equal"
 	"go.probo.inc/probo/pkg/gid"
 	"go.probo.inc/probo/pkg/page"
 	"go.probo.inc/probo/pkg/validator"
@@ -759,7 +758,7 @@ func (s *Service) UpdateCookieBanner(
 			}
 
 			nameChanged := req.Name != nil && *req.Name != banner.Name
-			privacyChanged := req.PrivacyPolicyURL != nil && !equal.Ptr(req.PrivacyPolicyURL, banner.PrivacyPolicyURL)
+			privacyChanged := req.PrivacyPolicyURL != nil && !ptrEqual(req.PrivacyPolicyURL, banner.PrivacyPolicyURL)
 			cookiePolicyChanged := req.CookiePolicyURL != nil && *req.CookiePolicyURL != banner.CookiePolicyURL
 			expiryChanged := req.ConsentExpiryDays != nil && *req.ConsentExpiryDays != banner.ConsentExpiryDays
 			consentModeChanged := req.ConsentMode != nil && *req.ConsentMode != banner.ConsentMode
@@ -1229,7 +1228,7 @@ func (s *Service) UpdateCookiePattern(
 			}
 
 			displayNameChanged := req.DisplayName != nil && *req.DisplayName != pattern.DisplayName
-			maxAgeChanged := req.MaxAgeSeconds != nil && !equal.Ptr(*req.MaxAgeSeconds, pattern.MaxAgeSeconds)
+			maxAgeChanged := req.MaxAgeSeconds != nil && !ptrEqual(*req.MaxAgeSeconds, pattern.MaxAgeSeconds)
 			descChanged := req.Description != nil && *req.Description != pattern.Description
 			excludedChanged := req.Excluded != nil && *req.Excluded != pattern.Excluded
 
@@ -2019,7 +2018,7 @@ func (s *Service) UpsertCookieBannerTranslation(
 			err := existing.LoadByCookieBannerIDAndLanguage(ctx, tx, scope, req.CookieBannerID, req.Language)
 
 			if err == nil {
-				same, eqErr := equal.JSON(existing.Translations, req.Translations)
+				same, eqErr := jsonEqual(existing.Translations, req.Translations)
 				if eqErr == nil && same {
 					result = &existing
 					return nil