diff --git a/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/types/unification.rs b/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/types/unification.rs
index 854b63d13b7..a451fdfdbba 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/types/unification.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/types/unification.rs
@@ -99,13 +99,6 @@ impl Type {
     ) -> Result<(), UnificationError> {
         use Type::*;
 
-        // If the two types are exactly the same then they trivially unify.
-        // This check avoids potentially unifying very complex types (usually infix
-        // expressions) when they are the same.
-        if self == other {
-            return Ok(());
-        }
-
         let lhs = self.follow_bindings_shallow();
         let rhs = other.follow_bindings_shallow();
 
@@ -213,14 +206,14 @@ impl Type {
             }
 
             (
-                NamedGeneric(types::NamedGeneric { type_var: binding_a, name: name_a, .. }),
-                NamedGeneric(types::NamedGeneric { type_var: binding_b, name: name_b, .. }),
+                NamedGeneric(types::NamedGeneric { type_var: binding_a, .. }),
+                NamedGeneric(types::NamedGeneric { type_var: binding_b, .. }),
             ) => {
                 // Bound NamedGenerics are caught by the check above
                 assert!(binding_a.borrow().is_unbound());
                 assert!(binding_b.borrow().is_unbound());
 
-                if name_a == name_b {
+                if binding_a.0 == binding_b.0 {
                     binding_a.kind().unify(&binding_b.kind())
                 } else {
                     Err(UnificationError)
diff --git a/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/tests/traits/trait_associated_items.rs b/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/tests/traits/trait_associated_items.rs
index aa1e655dbf9..d081a575135 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/tests/traits/trait_associated_items.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_frontend/src/tests/traits/trait_associated_items.rs
@@ -538,3 +538,31 @@ fn associated_and_type_mismatch_across_traits() {
     "#;
     check_errors(src);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn associated_mismatch_with_identical_names() {
+    // Error message is confusing here but it is an improvement over no error
+    let src = r#"
+        pub mod one {
+            pub trait Eggs {
+                type Item;
+                fn give() -> Self::Item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        pub mod two {
+            pub trait Eggs {
+                type Item;
+                fn take(eggs: Self::Item);
+            }
+        }
+
+        pub fn mix<T: one::Eggs + two::Eggs>() {
+            T::take(T::give());
+                    ^^^^^^^^^ Expected type <T as Eggs>::Item, found type <T as Eggs>::Item
+        }
+
+        fn main() {}
+    "#;
+    check_errors(src);
+}