diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
index 969c05f55d..418a465ed5 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence, Set
-from typing import Any, overload
+from typing import overload
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
@@ -68,12 +68,6 @@ def __getitem__(self, index: int | slice) -> str | Sequence[str]:
     def __len__(self) -> int:
         return len(self.defaults)
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: Any) -> bool:
-        # Do not try to compare registry instances.
-        if not isinstance(other, type(self)):
-            return False
-        return self.defaults == other.defaults
-
     @property
     @abstractmethod
     def defaults(self) -> Sequence[str]:
diff --git a/tests/test_butler.py b/tests/test_butler.py
index f29a3148ae..92604ada75 100644
--- a/tests/test_butler.py
+++ b/tests/test_butler.py
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ def testPickle(self) -> None:
         butlerOut = pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(butler))
         self.assertIsInstance(butlerOut, Butler)
         self.assertEqual(butlerOut._config, butler._config)
-        self.assertEqual(butlerOut.collections, butler.collections)
+        self.assertEqual(list(butlerOut.collections.defaults), list(butler.collections.defaults))
         self.assertEqual(butlerOut.run, butler.run)
 
     def testGetDatasetTypes(self) -> None: