diff --git a/cpp/Matrix.cpp b/cpp/Matrix.cpp
index 95dc1f528..074ad44a4 100644
--- a/cpp/Matrix.cpp
+++ b/cpp/Matrix.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,19 @@ bool assert_equal(const Matrix& expected, const Matrix& actual, double tol) {
   return false;
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+bool assert_equal(const std::list<Matrix>& As, const std::list<Matrix>& Bs, double tol) {
+	if (As.size() != Bs.size()) return false;
+
+	list<Matrix>::const_iterator itA, itB;
+	itA = As.begin(); itB = Bs.begin();
+	for (; itA != As.end(); itA++, itB++)
+		if (!assert_equal(*itB, *itA, tol))
+			return false;
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 void multiplyAdd(double alpha, const Matrix& A, const Vector& x, Vector& e) {
 #if defined CBLAS
diff --git a/cpp/Matrix.h b/cpp/Matrix.h
index 7e8705901..491e6ff26 100644
--- a/cpp/Matrix.h
+++ b/cpp/Matrix.h
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ inline bool operator!=(const Matrix& A, const Matrix& B) {
  */
 bool assert_equal(const Matrix& A, const Matrix& B, double tol = 1e-9);
 
+/**
+ * equals with an tolerance, prints out message if unequal
+ */
+bool assert_equal(const std::list<Matrix>& As, const std::list<Matrix>& Bs, double tol = 1e-9);
+
 /**
  * overload * for matrix-vector multiplication (as BOOST does not)
  */