diff --git a/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/bytecode_flow_graph_builder.cc b/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/bytecode_flow_graph_builder.cc
index f5f3c3a..0c0b448 100644
--- a/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/bytecode_flow_graph_builder.cc
+++ b/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/bytecode_flow_graph_builder.cc
@@ -707,10 +707,24 @@
   }
 
   const Function& target = Function::Cast(ConstantAt(DecodeOperandD()).value());
+  const intptr_t argc = DecodeOperandA().value();
+
+  // Recognize identical() call.
+  // Note: similar optimization is performed in AST flow graph builder - see
+  // StreamingFlowGraphBuilder::BuildStaticInvocation, special_case_identical.
+  // TODO(alexmarkov): find a better place for this optimization.
+  if (target.name() == Symbols::Identical().raw()) {
+    const auto& owner = Class::Handle(Z, target.Owner());
+    if (owner.IsTopLevel() && (owner.library() == Library::CoreLibrary())) {
+      ASSERT(argc == 2);
+      code_ += B->StrictCompare(Token::kEQ_STRICT, /*number_check=*/true);
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+
   const Array& arg_desc_array =
       Array::Cast(ConstantAt(DecodeOperandD(), 1).value());
   const ArgumentsDescriptor arg_desc(arg_desc_array);
-  intptr_t argc = DecodeOperandA().value();
 
   ArgumentArray arguments = GetArguments(argc);
 
diff --git a/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/kernel_binary_flowgraph.cc b/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/kernel_binary_flowgraph.cc
index 95b52d3..431d88f 100644
--- a/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/kernel_binary_flowgraph.cc
+++ b/runtime/vm/compiler/frontend/kernel_binary_flowgraph.cc
@@ -3048,6 +3048,8 @@
                                   NULL));
 
   // Special case identical(x, y) call.
+  // Note: similar optimization is performed in bytecode flow graph builder -
+  // see BytecodeFlowGraphBuilder::BuildDirectCall().
   // TODO(27590) consider moving this into the inliner and force inline it
   // there.
   if (special_case_identical) {