diff --git a/lib/common/tests/rules/Makefile.am b/lib/common/tests/rules/Makefile.am
index 139c5a7355..fcf13e2bdb 100644
--- a/lib/common/tests/rules/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/common/tests/rules/Makefile.am
@@ -1,21 +1,22 @@
 #
 # Copyright 2020-2024 the Pacemaker project contributors
 #
 # The version control history for this file may have further details.
 #
 # This source code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2
 # or later (GPLv2+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
 #
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/mk/tap.mk
 include $(top_srcdir)/mk/unittest.mk
 
 # Add "_test" to the end of all test program names to simplify .gitignore.
-check_PROGRAMS = pcmk__evaluate_date_expression_test	\
+check_PROGRAMS = pcmk__cmp_by_type_test			\
+		 pcmk__evaluate_date_expression_test	\
 		 pcmk__evaluate_date_spec_test		\
 		 pcmk__parse_comparison_test		\
 		 pcmk__parse_type_test			\
 		 pcmk__replace_submatches_test		\
 		 pcmk__unpack_duration_test
 
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
diff --git a/lib/common/tests/rules/pcmk__cmp_by_type_test.c b/lib/common/tests/rules/pcmk__cmp_by_type_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d4bd98454f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common/tests/rules/pcmk__cmp_by_type_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ *
+ * The version control history for this file may have further details.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2
+ * or later (GPLv2+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+ */
+
+#include <crm_internal.h>
+
+#include <limits.h>                         // INT_MIN, INT_MAX
+
+#include <crm/common/util.h>                // crm_strdup_printf()
+#include <crm/common/rules_internal.h>
+#include <crm/common/unittest_internal.h>
+
+static void
+null_compares_lesser(void **state)
+{
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type(NULL, NULL, pcmk__type_string), 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", NULL, pcmk__type_integer) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type(NULL, "0", pcmk__type_number) < 0);
+}
+
+static void
+invalid_compares_equal(void **state)
+{
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "1", pcmk__type_unknown), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("hi", "bye", pcmk__type_unknown), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("-1.0", "2.0", pcmk__type_unknown), 0);
+}
+
+static void
+compare_string_type(void **state)
+{
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "bye", pcmk__type_string), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "BYE", pcmk__type_string), 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "hello", pcmk__type_string) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "HELLO", pcmk__type_string) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "boo", pcmk__type_string) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("bye", "Boo", pcmk__type_string) > 0);
+}
+
+static void
+compare_integer_type(void **state)
+{
+    char *int_min = crm_strdup_printf("%d", INT_MIN);
+    char *int_max = crm_strdup_printf("%d", INT_MAX);
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "0", pcmk__type_integer), 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "1", pcmk__type_integer) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("1", "0", pcmk__type_integer) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("3999", "399", pcmk__type_integer) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type(int_min, int_max, pcmk__type_integer) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type(int_max, int_min, pcmk__type_integer) > 0);
+    free(int_min);
+    free(int_max);
+
+    // Non-integers compare as strings
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "x", pcmk__type_integer),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "x", pcmk__type_string));
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "0", pcmk__type_integer),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "0", pcmk__type_string));
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "X", pcmk__type_integer),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "X", pcmk__type_string));
+}
+
+static void
+compare_number_type(void **state)
+{
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0", "0.0", pcmk__type_number), 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0.345", "0.5", pcmk__type_number) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("5", "3.1", pcmk__type_number) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("3999", "399", pcmk__type_number) > 0);
+
+    // Non-numbers compare as strings
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("0.0", "x", pcmk__type_number),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("0.0", "x", pcmk__type_string));
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "0.0", pcmk__type_number),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "0.0", pcmk__type_string));
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "X", pcmk__type_number),
+                     pcmk__cmp_by_type("x", "X", pcmk__type_string));
+}
+
+static void
+compare_version_type(void **state)
+{
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__cmp_by_type("1.0", "1.0", pcmk__type_version), 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("1.0.0", "1.0.1", pcmk__type_version) < 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("5.0", "3.1.15", pcmk__type_version) > 0);
+    assert_true(pcmk__cmp_by_type("3999", "399", pcmk__type_version) > 0);
+}
+
+PCMK__UNIT_TEST(NULL, NULL,
+                cmocka_unit_test(null_compares_lesser),
+                cmocka_unit_test(invalid_compares_equal),
+                cmocka_unit_test(compare_string_type),
+                cmocka_unit_test(compare_integer_type),
+                cmocka_unit_test(compare_number_type),
+                cmocka_unit_test(compare_version_type))