diff --git a/sbom/formatted_reader_test.go b/sbom/formatted_reader_test.go
index c1d01c01..ee1ade66 100644
--- a/sbom/formatted_reader_test.go
+++ b/sbom/formatted_reader_test.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 		rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 		_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.CycloneDXFormat))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+		Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 	})
 
 	it("writes the SBOM in the latest CycloneDX format (1.4)", func() {
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 		rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 		_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.Format(syft.CycloneDxJSONFormatID)))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+		Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 	})
 
 	context("writes the SBOM in SPDX format, with fields replaced for reproducibility", func() {
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 			rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 			_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.SPDXFormat))
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+			Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 		})
 
 		context("when SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH is set", func() {
@@ -169,11 +169,11 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 					rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 					_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.SPDXFormat))
 					Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-					Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+					Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 				})
 
 				context("failure cases", func() {
-					context("when the timestamp is valid", func() {
+					context("when the timestamp is not valid", func() {
 						it.Before(func() {
 							Expect(os.Setenv("SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH", "not-a-valid-timestamp")).To(Succeed())
 						})
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 		rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 		_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.SyftFormat))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+		Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 	})
 
 	it("writes the SBOM in Syft 2.0.2 format", func() {
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 		rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 		_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.Format(syft2.ID)))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+		Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 	})
 
 	it("writes the SBOM in the latest Syft format (3.*)", func() {
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func testFormattedReader(t *testing.T, context spec.G, it spec.S) {
 		rerunBuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 		_, err = io.Copy(rerunBuffer, sbom.NewFormattedReader(bom, sbom.Format(syft.JSONFormatID)))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(rerunBuffer).To(Equal(buffer))
+		Expect(rerunBuffer.String()).To(Equal(buffer.String()))
 	})
 
 	context("Read", func() {