diff --git a/src/Parse/ParseQuery.php b/src/Parse/ParseQuery.php
index be7826b8..a212390d 100644
--- a/src/Parse/ParseQuery.php
+++ b/src/Parse/ParseQuery.php
@@ -140,7 +140,11 @@ public function get($objectId, $useMasterKey = false)
      */
     public function equalTo($key, $value)
     {
-        $this->addCondition($key, '$eq', $value);
+        if (isset($this->where[$key]) && $this->isConditionMap($this->where[$key])) {
+            $this->addCondition($key, '$eq', $value);
+        } else {
+            $this->where[$key] = ParseClient::_encode($value, true);
+        }
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -156,12 +160,36 @@ public function equalTo($key, $value)
      */
     private function addCondition($key, $condition, $value)
     {
-        if (!isset($this->where[$key])) {
+        if (!array_key_exists($key, $this->where)) {
             $this->where[$key] = [];
+        } elseif (!$this->isConditionMap($this->where[$key])) {
+            $this->where[$key] = ['$eq' => $this->where[$key]];
         }
         $this->where[$key][$condition] = ParseClient::_encode($value, true);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks whether a where entry is an operator map rather than a direct equality value.
+     *
+     * @param mixed $value Where entry value.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    private function isConditionMap($value)
+    {
+        if (!is_array($value)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        foreach ($value as $operatorKey => $_) {
+            if (!is_string($operatorKey) || strpos($operatorKey, '$') !== 0) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return !empty($value);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the conditions of this parse query from an array
      *
diff --git a/tests/Parse/ParseQueryTest.php b/tests/Parse/ParseQueryTest.php
index ae251ab1..fb891232 100644
--- a/tests/Parse/ParseQueryTest.php
+++ b/tests/Parse/ParseQueryTest.php
@@ -2663,9 +2663,7 @@ public function testGetAndSetConditions()
 
         $this->assertEquals([
             'where' => [
-                'key'   => [
-                    '$eq' => 'value',
-                ],
+                'key'   => 'value',
                 'key2'  => [
                     '$ne'   => 'value2',
                 ],
@@ -2726,9 +2724,7 @@ public function testCountDoesNotOverrideConditions()
 
         $this->assertSame([
             'where' => [
-                'country' => [
-                    '$eq' => 'US'
-                ]
+                'country' => 'US'
             ],
             'limit' => 1,
         ], $query->_getOptions());
@@ -2811,4 +2807,66 @@ public function testEqualToWithSameKeyDoesNotOverrideOtherConditions()
             ],
         ], $query->_getOptions());
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @group query-equalTo-conditions
+     */
+    public function testEqualToAfterDirectEqualityDoesNotOverrideOtherConditions()
+    {
+        $query = new ParseQuery('TestObject');
+        $query->equalTo('status', 'active');
+        $query->notEqualTo('status', 'archived');
+
+        $this->assertSame([
+            'where' => [
+                'status' => [
+                    '$eq' => 'active',
+                    '$ne' => 'archived',
+                ]
+            ],
+        ], $query->_getOptions());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @group query-equalTo-conditions
+     */
+    public function testEqualToNullBeforeConditionPreservesNullEquality()
+    {
+        $query = new ParseQuery('TestObject');
+        $query->equalTo('status', null);
+        $query->notEqualTo('status', 'archived');
+
+        $this->assertSame([
+            'where' => [
+                'status' => [
+                    '$eq' => null,
+                    '$ne' => 'archived',
+                ]
+            ],
+        ], $query->_getOptions());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @group query-equalTo-conditions
+     */
+    public function testEqualToPointerSerializesAsDirectWhereValue()
+    {
+        $user = new ParseObject('_User');
+        $user->_mergeAfterFetch([
+            'objectId' => 'someUserId',
+        ]);
+
+        $query = new ParseQuery('_Role');
+        $query->equalTo('users', $user);
+
+        $this->assertSame([
+            'where' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    '__type' => 'Pointer',
+                    'className' => '_User',
+                    'objectId' => 'someUserId',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ], $query->_getOptions());
+    }
 }