diff --git a/sdbusplus/message/native_types.hpp b/sdbusplus/message/native_types.hpp
index c0daa31..ce50f8e 100644
--- a/sdbusplus/message/native_types.hpp
+++ b/sdbusplus/message/native_types.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,17 @@
 
     bool operator==(const string_wrapper<T>& r) const { return str == r.str; }
     bool operator<(const string_wrapper<T>& r) const { return str < r.str; }
+    bool operator==(const std::string& r) const { return str == r; }
+    bool operator<(const std::string& r) const { return str < r; }
+
+    friend bool operator==(const std::string& l, const string_wrapper& r)
+    {
+        return l == r.str;
+    }
+    friend bool operator<(const std::string& l, const string_wrapper& r)
+    {
+        return l < r.str;
+    }
 };
 
 /** Typename for sdbus OBJECT_PATH types. */
diff --git a/test/message/native_types.cpp b/test/message/native_types.cpp
index df1cb96..cbe33eb 100644
--- a/test/message/native_types.cpp
+++ b/test/message/native_types.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
+void check_string_compares(const sdbusplus::message::signature& sig,
+                           const std::string& str)
+{
+    assert(sig == str);
+    assert(str == sig);
+    return;
+}
+
 int main()
 {
     std::string s1 = sdbusplus::message::object_path("/asdf/");
@@ -12,6 +20,8 @@
     std::string s2 = sdbusplus::message::signature("iii");
     sdbusplus::message::signature sig = s2;
 
+    check_string_compares(sig, s2);
+
     std::vector<sdbusplus::message::signature> v =
         { sdbusplus::message::signature("iii") };