diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 18b0b770a7bc..039968ce1d74 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 - `[expect]` Fix non-object received value in toHaveProperty ([#7986](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/7986))
 - `[jest-jasmine2]`: Throw explicit error when errors happen after test is considered complete ([#8005](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/8005))
 - `[jest-circus]`: Throw explicit error when errors happen after test is considered complete ([#8005](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/8005))
+- `[expect]` Remove duck typing and obsolete browser support code when comparing DOM nodes and use DOM-Level-3 API instead ([#7995](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/7995))
 
 ### Chore & Maintenance
 
diff --git a/packages/expect/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/matchers.test.js.snap b/packages/expect/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/matchers.test.js.snap
index 3b43f553d7d3..f236cb1e4902 100644
--- a/packages/expect/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/matchers.test.js.snap
+++ b/packages/expect/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/matchers.test.js.snap
@@ -1996,6 +1996,28 @@ Expected: <green>{\\"a\\": 99}</>
 Received: <red>{\\"a\\": 99}</>"
 `;
 
+exports[`.toEqual() {pass: false} expect({"nodeName": "div", "nodeType": 1}).not.toEqual({"nodeName": "div", "nodeType": 1}) 1`] = `
+"<dim>expect(</><red>received</><dim>).</>not<dim>.toEqual(</><green>expected</><dim>)</>
+
+Expected: <green>{\\"nodeName\\": \\"div\\", \\"nodeType\\": 1}</>
+Received: <red>{\\"nodeName\\": \\"div\\", \\"nodeType\\": 1}</>"
+`;
+
+exports[`.toEqual() {pass: false} expect({"nodeName": "div", "nodeType": 1}).toEqual({"nodeName": "p", "nodeType": 1}) 1`] = `
+"<dim>expect(</><red>received</><dim>).toEqual(</><green>expected</><dim>)</>
+
+Difference:
+
+<green>- Expected</>
+<red>+ Received</>
+
+<dim>  Object {</>
+<green>-   \\"nodeName\\": \\"p\\",</>
+<red>+   \\"nodeName\\": \\"div\\",</>
+<dim>    \\"nodeType\\": 1,</>
+<dim>  }</>"
+`;
+
 exports[`.toEqual() {pass: false} expect({"target": {"nodeType": 1, "value": "a"}}).toEqual({"target": {"nodeType": 1, "value": "b"}}) 1`] = `
 "<dim>expect(</><red>received</><dim>).toEqual(</><green>expected</><dim>)</>
 
diff --git a/packages/expect/src/__tests__/matchers.test.js b/packages/expect/src/__tests__/matchers.test.js
index 6b4b90788672..8f79c49c15c4 100644
--- a/packages/expect/src/__tests__/matchers.test.js
+++ b/packages/expect/src/__tests__/matchers.test.js
@@ -417,6 +417,16 @@ describe('.toEqual()', () => {
         },
       },
     ],
+    [
+      {
+        nodeName: 'div',
+        nodeType: 1,
+      },
+      {
+        nodeName: 'p',
+        nodeType: 1,
+      },
+    ],
   ].forEach(([a, b]) => {
     test(`{pass: false} expect(${stringify(a)}).toEqual(${stringify(
       b,
@@ -537,6 +547,16 @@ describe('.toEqual()', () => {
         },
       },
     ],
+    [
+      {
+        nodeName: 'div',
+        nodeType: 1,
+      },
+      {
+        nodeName: 'div',
+        nodeType: 1,
+      },
+    ],
   ].forEach(([a, b]) => {
     test(`{pass: false} expect(${stringify(a)}).not.toEqual(${stringify(
       b,
diff --git a/packages/expect/src/jasmineUtils.ts b/packages/expect/src/jasmineUtils.ts
index f16bc5aeaa64..7636ec9c2274 100644
--- a/packages/expect/src/jasmineUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/expect/src/jasmineUtils.ts
@@ -129,24 +129,9 @@ function eq(
 
   var aIsDomNode = isDomNode(a);
   var bIsDomNode = isDomNode(b);
-  if (aIsDomNode && bIsDomNode) {
-    // At first try to use DOM3 method isEqualNode
-    if (a.isEqualNode) {
-      return a.isEqualNode(b);
-    }
-    // IE8 doesn't support isEqualNode, try to use outerHTML && innerText
-    var aIsElement = a instanceof Element;
-    var bIsElement = b instanceof Element;
-    if (aIsElement && bIsElement) {
-      return a.outerHTML == b.outerHTML;
-    }
-    if (aIsElement || bIsElement) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    return a.innerText == b.innerText && a.textContent == b.textContent;
-  }
-  if (aIsDomNode || bIsDomNode) {
-    return false;
+  // Use DOM3 method isEqualNode (IE>=9)
+  if (aIsDomNode && typeof a.isEqualNode === 'function' && bIsDomNode) {
+    return a.isEqualNode(b);
   }
 
   // Used to detect circular references.
@@ -263,12 +248,9 @@ export function isA(typeName: string, value: unknown) {
 }
 
 function isDomNode(obj: any): obj is Node {
-  return (
-    obj !== null &&
-    typeof obj === 'object' &&
-    typeof obj.nodeType === 'number' &&
-    typeof obj.nodeName === 'string'
-  );
+  // In some test environments (e.g. "node") there is no `Node` even though
+  // we might be comparing things that look like DOM nodes.
+  return typeof Node !== 'undefined' && obj instanceof Node;
 }
 
 export function fnNameFor(func: Function) {