diff --git a/components/camel-plc4x/src/main/java/org/apache/camel/component/plc4x/TagData.java b/components/camel-plc4x/src/main/java/org/apache/camel/component/plc4x/TagData.java
index a191d1c3406d3..a3ff2dcf0acdc 100644
--- a/components/camel-plc4x/src/main/java/org/apache/camel/component/plc4x/TagData.java
+++ b/components/camel-plc4x/src/main/java/org/apache/camel/component/plc4x/TagData.java
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ public String toString() {
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object tag) {
+        if (!(tag instanceof TagData)) {
+            return false;
+        }
         return value != null
                 ? ((TagData) tag).getValue().equals(value)
                         && ((TagData) tag).getTagName().equals(tagName)