diff --git a/dagutils/diff.go b/dagutils/diff.go
index 13287c4c2..0f08aa559 100644
--- a/dagutils/diff.go
+++ b/dagutils/diff.go
@@ -94,26 +94,24 @@ func ApplyChange(ctx context.Context, ds ipld.DAGService, nd *dag.ProtoNode, cs
 	return e.Finalize(ctx, ds)
 }
 
-// Diff returns a set of changes that transform node 'a' into node 'b'
+// Diff returns a set of changes that transform node 'a' into node 'b'.
+// It only traverses links in the following cases:
+// 1. two node's links number are greater than 0.
+// 2. both of two nodes are ProtoNode.
+// Otherwise, it compares the cid and emits a Mod change object.
 func Diff(ctx context.Context, ds ipld.DAGService, a, b ipld.Node) ([]*Change, error) {
 	// Base case where both nodes are leaves, just compare
 	// their CIDs.
 	if len(a.Links()) == 0 && len(b.Links()) == 0 {
-		if a.Cid().Equals(b.Cid()) {
-			return []*Change{}, nil
-		}
-		return []*Change{
-			&Change{
-				Type:   Mod,
-				Before: a.Cid(),
-				After:  b.Cid(),
-			},
-		}, nil
+		return getChange(a, b)
 	}
 
 	var out []*Change
-	cleanA := a.Copy().(*dag.ProtoNode)
-	cleanB := b.Copy().(*dag.ProtoNode)
+	cleanA, okA := a.Copy().(*dag.ProtoNode)
+	cleanB, okB := b.Copy().(*dag.ProtoNode)
+	if !okA || !okB {
+		return getChange(a, b)
+	}
 
 	// strip out unchanged stuff
 	for _, lnk := range a.Links() {
@@ -132,17 +130,7 @@ func Diff(ctx context.Context, ds ipld.DAGService, a, b ipld.Node) ([]*Change, e
 					return nil, err
 				}
 
-				anodepb, ok := anode.(*dag.ProtoNode)
-				if !ok {
-					return nil, dag.ErrNotProtobuf
-				}
-
-				bnodepb, ok := bnode.(*dag.ProtoNode)
-				if !ok {
-					return nil, dag.ErrNotProtobuf
-				}
-
-				sub, err := Diff(ctx, ds, anodepb, bnodepb)
+				sub, err := Diff(ctx, ds, anode, bnode)
 				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
@@ -209,3 +197,16 @@ func MergeDiffs(a, b []*Change) ([]*Change, []Conflict) {
 	}
 	return out, conflicts
 }
+
+func getChange(a, b ipld.Node) ([]*Change, error) {
+	if a.Cid().Equals(b.Cid()) {
+		return []*Change{}, nil
+	}
+	return []*Change{
+		{
+			Type:   Mod,
+			Before: a.Cid(),
+			After:  b.Cid(),
+		},
+	}, nil
+}
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0052-object-diff.sh b/test/sharness/t0052-object-diff.sh
index 949088c27..e512c4b18 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0052-object-diff.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0052-object-diff.sh
@@ -15,16 +15,22 @@ test_expect_success "create some objects for testing diffs" '
   echo "stuff" > foo/bar &&
   mkdir foo/baz &&
   A=$(ipfs add -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
+  AR=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
   echo "more things" > foo/cat &&
   B=$(ipfs add -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
+  BR=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
   echo "nested" > foo/baz/dog &&
   C=$(ipfs add -r -q foo | tail -n1)
+  CR=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q foo | tail -n1)
   echo "changed" > foo/bar &&
   D=$(ipfs add -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
+  DR=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q foo | tail -n1) &&
   echo "" > single_file &&
   SINGLE_FILE=$(ipfs add -r -q single_file | tail -n1) &&
+  SINGLE_FILE_RAW=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q single_file | tail -n1) &&
   mkdir empty_dir
   EMPTY_DIR=$(ipfs add -r -q empty_dir | tail -n1)
+  EMPTY_DIR_RAW=$(ipfs add --raw-leaves -r -q empty_dir | tail -n1)
 '
 
 test_expect_success "diff against self is empty" '
@@ -36,18 +42,39 @@ test_expect_success "identity diff output looks good" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) against self is empty" '
+  ipfs object diff $AR $AR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "identity diff (raw-leaves) output looks good" '
+  printf "" > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff against self (single file) is empty" '
-  ipfs object diff $SINGLE_FILE $SINGLE_FILE > diff_out
+  ipfs object diff $SINGLE_FILE $SINGLE_FILE > diff_out &&
   printf "" > diff_exp &&
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) against self (single file) is empty" '
+  ipfs object diff $SINGLE_FILE_RAW $SINGLE_FILE_RAW > diff_raw_out &&
+  printf "" > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff against self (empty dir) is empty" '
-  ipfs object diff $EMPTY_DIR $EMPTY_DIR > diff_out
+  ipfs object diff $EMPTY_DIR $EMPTY_DIR > diff_out &&
   printf "" > diff_exp &&
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) against self (empty dir) is empty" '
+  ipfs object diff $EMPTY_DIR_RAW $EMPTY_DIR_RAW > diff_raw_out &&
+  printf "" > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff added link works" '
   ipfs object diff $A $B > diff_out
 '
@@ -57,6 +84,15 @@ test_expect_success "diff added link looks right" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) added link works" '
+  ipfs object diff $AR $BR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) added link looks right" '
+  echo + zb2rhmWNFDCdMjJoCZPE5b5NuU38yoRzRmEtfzb4exxk3R8g4 \"cat\" > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "verbose diff added link works" '
   ipfs object diff -v $A $B > diff_out
 '
@@ -66,6 +102,15 @@ test_expect_success "verbose diff added link looks right" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "verbose diff (raw-leaves) added link works" '
+  ipfs object diff -v $AR $BR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "verbose diff (raw-leaves) added link looks right" '
+  echo Added new link \"cat\" pointing to zb2rhmWNFDCdMjJoCZPE5b5NuU38yoRzRmEtfzb4exxk3R8g4. > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff removed link works" '
   ipfs object diff -v $B $A > diff_out
 '
@@ -75,6 +120,15 @@ test_expect_success "diff removed link looks right" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) removed link works" '
+  ipfs object diff -v $BR $AR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) removed link looks right" '
+  echo Removed link \"cat\" \(was zb2rhmWNFDCdMjJoCZPE5b5NuU38yoRzRmEtfzb4exxk3R8g4\). > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff nested add works" '
   ipfs object diff -v $B $C > diff_out
 '
@@ -84,6 +138,15 @@ test_expect_success "diff looks right" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) nested add works" '
+  ipfs object diff -v $BR $CR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) looks right" '
+  echo Added new link \"baz/dog\" pointing to zb2rhaM8wjDfi8A22dEqk89raWtViq8pjxvKQu2eaKtWhYKgE. > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_expect_success "diff changed link works" '
   ipfs object diff -v $C $D > diff_out
 '
@@ -93,4 +156,13 @@ test_expect_success "diff looks right" '
   test_cmp diff_exp diff_out
 '
 
+test_expect_success "diff (raw-leaves) changed link works" '
+  ipfs object diff -v $CR $DR > diff_raw_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "diff（raw-leaves) looks right" '
+  echo Changed \"bar\" from zb2rhdUECGnPgMJNgmghaMKdqqGdpTe9GmEJiPna488ThfLBz to zb2rhfEA1M13SPoeayrsPcKhCezgMQPjguGFLH56G8qQ2qpDn. > diff_raw_exp &&
+  test_cmp diff_raw_exp diff_raw_out
+'
+
 test_done