diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/api/registry/rest/rest_utils.py b/sdk/python/feast/api/registry/rest/rest_utils.py
index 233ec07ac38..e52b1f417d3 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/api/registry/rest/rest_utils.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/api/registry/rest/rest_utils.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def get_sorting_params(
 
 
 def validate_or_set_default_sorting_params(
-    sort_by_options: List[str] = [],
+    sort_by_options: Optional[List[str]] = None,
     default_sort_by_option: str = "",
     default_sort_order: str = "asc",
 ) -> Callable:
diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/diff/registry_diff.py b/sdk/python/feast/diff/registry_diff.py
index 9c201cf46ad..e008b27fb8d 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/diff/registry_diff.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/diff/registry_diff.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def diff_registry_objects(
     if isinstance(
         current_proto, (DataSourceProto, ValidationReferenceProto)
     ) or isinstance(new_proto, (DataSourceProto, ValidationReferenceProto)):
-        assert type(current_proto) == type(new_proto)
+        assert type(current_proto) is type(new_proto)
         current_spec = cast(DataSourceProto, current_proto)
         new_spec = cast(DataSourceProto, new_proto)
     else: