diff --git a/src/__tests__/to-contain-html.js b/src/__tests__/to-contain-html.js
index 6bfd95e..259e1fd 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/to-contain-html.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/to-contain-html.js
@@ -106,7 +106,15 @@ describe('.toContainHTML', () => {
 Expected:
   <green><div> non-existant element </div></>
 Received:
-  <red><span data-testid="child" /></>
+  <red><span data-testid="child"></span></>
 `)
   })
+
+  test('ignores attribute order when comparing HTML', () => {
+    const {container} = render('<a target="_blank" href="foo">link</a>')
+    const link = container.querySelector('a')
+
+    expect(link).toContainHTML('<a href="foo" target="_blank">link</a>')
+    expect(link).toContainHTML('<a target="_blank" href="foo">link</a>')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/to-contain-html.js b/src/to-contain-html.js
index 30158ee..fd54e70 100644
--- a/src/to-contain-html.js
+++ b/src/to-contain-html.js
@@ -1,8 +1,26 @@
 import {checkHtmlElement} from './utils'
 
+function sortAttributes(root) {
+  const elements = [root, ...root.querySelectorAll('*')]
+  for (const el of elements) {
+    if (!el.attributes || el.attributes.length < 2) continue
+    const attrs = Array.from(el.attributes).sort((a, b) =>
+      a.name.localeCompare(b.name),
+    )
+    for (const attr of attrs) {
+      el.removeAttribute(attr.name)
+    }
+    for (const attr of attrs) {
+      el.setAttribute(attr.name, attr.value)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 function getNormalizedHtml(container, htmlText) {
   const div = container.ownerDocument.createElement('div')
   div.innerHTML = htmlText
+  // Sort attributes so order differences do not affect matching or messages
+  sortAttributes(div)
   return div.innerHTML
 }
 
@@ -13,8 +31,14 @@ export function toContainHTML(container, htmlText) {
     throw new Error(`.toContainHTML() expects a string value, got ${htmlText}`)
   }
 
+  const normalizedContainerHtml = getNormalizedHtml(
+    container,
+    container.outerHTML,
+  )
+  const normalizedHtmlText = getNormalizedHtml(container, htmlText)
+
   return {
-    pass: container.outerHTML.includes(getNormalizedHtml(container, htmlText)),
+    pass: normalizedContainerHtml.includes(normalizedHtmlText),
     message: () => {
       return [
         this.utils.matcherHint(
@@ -24,9 +48,10 @@ export function toContainHTML(container, htmlText) {
         ),
         'Expected:',
         // eslint-disable-next-line new-cap
-        `  ${this.utils.EXPECTED_COLOR(htmlText)}`,
+        `  ${this.utils.EXPECTED_COLOR(normalizedHtmlText)}`,
         'Received:',
-        `  ${this.utils.printReceived(container.cloneNode(true))}`,
+        // eslint-disable-next-line new-cap
+        `  ${this.utils.RECEIVED_COLOR(normalizedContainerHtml)}`,
       ].join('\n')
     },
   }