diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index e733de243..594663eee 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -1470,6 +1470,9 @@ class approx(object):
         if len(actual) != len(self.expected): return False
         return all(a == x for a, x in zip(actual, self.expected))
 
+    def __ne__(self, actual):
+        return not (actual == self)
+
     @property
     def expected(self):
         # Regardless of whether the user-specified expected value is a number
@@ -1546,6 +1549,9 @@ class ApproxNonIterable(object):
         # Return true if the two numbers are within the tolerance.
         return abs(self.expected - actual) <= self.tolerance
 
+    def __ne__(self, actual):
+        return not (actual == self)
+
     @property
     def tolerance(self):
         set_default = lambda x, default: x if x is not None else default
diff --git a/testing/python/approx.py b/testing/python/approx.py
index 2d7eb6ea3..2720c573f 100644
--- a/testing/python/approx.py
+++ b/testing/python/approx.py
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ class TestApprox:
 
     def test_operator_overloading(self):
         assert 1 == approx(1, rel=1e-6, abs=1e-12)
+        assert not (1 != approx(1, rel=1e-6, abs=1e-12))
         assert 10 != approx(1, rel=1e-6, abs=1e-12)
+        assert not (10 == approx(1, rel=1e-6, abs=1e-12))
 
     def test_exactly_equal(self):
         examples = [
@@ -41,7 +43,8 @@ class TestApprox:
                 (12345, 12345.0),
                 (0.0, -0.0),
                 (345678, 345678),
-                (Decimal(1.0001), Decimal(1.0001)),
+                (Decimal('1.0001'), Decimal('1.0001')),
+                (Fraction(1, 3), Fraction(-1, -3)),
         ]
         for a, x in examples:
             assert a == approx(x)
@@ -258,8 +261,8 @@ class TestApprox:
                 (Decimal('-1.000001'), Decimal('-1.0')),
         ]
         for a, x in within_1e6:
-            assert a == approx(x, rel=Decimal(5e-6), abs=0)
-            assert a != approx(x, rel=Decimal(5e-7), abs=0)
+            assert a == approx(x, rel=Decimal('5e-6'), abs=0)
+            assert a != approx(x, rel=Decimal('5e-7'), abs=0)
 
     def test_fraction(self):
         within_1e6 = [