diff --git a/changelog/3748.bugfix.rst b/changelog/3748.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1cac9cb6995
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/3748.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix infinite recursion in ``pytest.approx`` with arrays in ``numpy<1.13``.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python_api.py b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
index 5331d8a84a3..596bac19165 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python_api.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python_api.py
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ def __eq__(self, actual):
         the pre-specified tolerance.
         """
         if _is_numpy_array(actual):
-            return all(a == self for a in actual.flat)
+            # Call ``__eq__()`` manually to prevent infinite-recursion with
+            # numpy<1.13.  See #3748.
+            return all(self.__eq__(a) for a in actual.flat)
 
         # Short-circuit exact equality.
         if actual == self.expected: