diff --git a/test/interface.jl b/test/interface.jl
index bfbfc8e9..d92c7f23 100644
--- a/test/interface.jl
+++ b/test/interface.jl
@@ -95,16 +95,35 @@ end
 end
 
 @testset "operate" begin
-    @testset "$(typeof(x))" for x in [2, big(3)]
-        @testset "$op" for op in [+, *, gcd, lcm]
-            @test MA.operate(op, x) !== x
+    Types = (Int, BigInt, Rational{Int})
+    type_is_mutable = function (op::F, ::Type{T}, ::V) where {F,T,V<:Val}
+        f = _ -> T
+        return MA.mutability(T, op, ntuple(f, V())...) == MA.IsMutable()
+    end
+    @testset "$T" for T in Types
+        arity_is_mutable = (op, n) -> type_is_mutable(op, T, Val(n))
+        x = T(7)
+        @testset "1-ary $op" for op in [+, *, gcd, lcm]
+            a = op(x)
+            b = MA.operate(op, x)
+            is_mutable = arity_is_mutable(op, 1)
+            @test a == b
+            is_mutable && (@test a !== b)
         end
         ops = [+, *, MA.add_mul, MA.sub_mul, MA.add_dot, gcd, lcm]
-        @testset "$op" for op in ops
-            @test MA.operate(op, x, x, x, x) !== op(x, x, x, x)
+        @testset "4-ary $op" for op in ops
+            a = op(x, x, x, x)
+            b = MA.operate(op, x, x, x, x)
+            is_mutable = arity_is_mutable(op, 4)
+            @test a == b
+            is_mutable && (@test a !== b)
         end
-        @testset "$op" for op in [-, /, div]
-            @test MA.operate(op, x, x) !== op(x, x)
+        @testset "2-ary $op" for op in [-, /, div]
+            a = op(x, x)
+            b = MA.operate(op, x, x)
+            is_mutable = arity_is_mutable(op, 2)
+            @test a == b
+            is_mutable && (@test a !== b)
         end
     end
 end