diff --git a/src/recordlinker/linkage/matchers.py b/src/recordlinker/linkage/matchers.py
index 0c73662..d050176 100644
--- a/src/recordlinker/linkage/matchers.py
+++ b/src/recordlinker/linkage/matchers.py
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ def feature_match_exact(
     :return: A boolean indicating whether the features are an exact match.
     """
     idx = col_to_idx[feature_col]
+
+    # Convert datetime obj to str using helper function
+    if feature_col == "birthdate":
+        record_i[idx] = utils.datetime_to_str(record_i[idx])
+        record_j[idx] = utils.datetime_to_str(record_j[idx])
+
     return record_i[idx] == record_j[idx]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_matchers.py b/tests/unit/test_matchers.py
index 98de91f..857d767 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_matchers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_matchers.py
@@ -159,16 +159,20 @@ def test_feature_match_four_char():
 
 
 def test_feature_match_exact():
-    record_i = [1, 0, -1, "blah", "", True]
-    record_j = [1, 0, -1, "blah", "", True]
-    record_k = [2, 10, -10, "no match", "null", False]
+    record_i = ["240 Rippin Ranch Apt 66", "1980-01-01", "Los Angeles", "Verónica Eva", "Reynoso", "834d436b-9e1f-2e8e-f28a-ad40bef9f365", "female", "CA", "90502"]
+    record_j = ["240 Rippin Ranch Apt 66", "1980-01-01", "Los Angeles", "Verónica Eva", "Reynoso", "834d436b-9e1f-2e8e-f28a-ad40bef9f365", "female", "CA", "90502"]
+    record_k = ["240 Rippin Ranch Apt 66", datetime.date(1980, 1, 1), "Los Angeles", "Verónica Eva", "Reynoso", "834d436b-9e1f-2e8e-f28a-ad40bef9f365", "female", "CA", "90502"]
+    record_l = ["123 X St Unit 2", "1995-06-20", "Chicago", "Alejandra", "Arenas", "124d436b-9e1f-2e8e-f28a-ad40bef9f367", "male", "IL", "60615"]
+    record_m = ["123 X St Unit 2", datetime.date(1980, 6, 20), "Chicago", "Alejandra", "Arenas", "124d436b-9e1f-2e8e-f28a-ad40bef9f367", "male", "IL", "60615"]
 
-    cols = {"col_1": 0, "col_2": 1, "col_3": 2, "col_4": 3, "col_5": 4, "col_6": 5}
+    cols = {"address": 0, "birthdate": 1, "city": 2, "first_name": 3, "last_name": 4, "mrn": 5, "sex": 6, "state": 7, "zip": 8}
 
     # Simultaneously test matches and non-matches of different data types
     for c in cols:
         assert matchers.feature_match_exact(record_i, record_j, c, cols)
-        assert not matchers.feature_match_exact(record_i, record_k, c, cols)
+        assert matchers.feature_match_exact(record_i, record_k, c, cols)
+        assert not matchers.feature_match_exact(record_i, record_l, c, cols)
+        assert not matchers.feature_match_exact(record_i, record_m, c, cols)
 
     # Special case for matching None--None == None is vacuous
     assert matchers.feature_match_exact([None], [None], "col_7", {"col_7": 0})