diff --git a/ate/utils.py b/ate/utils.py
index f3f00ce2..b75ddfe2 100644
--- a/ate/utils.py
+++ b/ate/utils.py
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ def match_expected(value, expected, comparator="eq"):
             assert re.match(expected, value)
         elif comparator in ["str_len", "string_length"]:
             assert len(value) == int(expected)
+        elif comparator in ["startswith"]:
+            assert str(value).startswith(str(expected))
         else:
             raise ParamsError("comparator not supported!")
 
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index c648d04a..44c89c1f 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class TestUtils(ApiServerUnittest):
         result = utils.query_json(json_content, query)
         self.assertEqual(result, "Leo")
 
-    def test_compare(self):
+    def test_match_expected(self):
         self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected(1, 1, "eq"))
         self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("abc", "abc", "eq"))
         self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("abc", "abc"))
@@ -280,6 +280,10 @@ class TestUtils(ApiServerUnittest):
         self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("2017-06-29 17:29:58", 19, "str_len"))
         self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("2017-06-29 17:29:58", "19", "str_len"))
 
+        self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("abc123", "ab", "startswith"))
+        self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected("123abc", 12, "startswith"))
+        self.assertTrue(utils.match_expected(12345, 123, "startswith"))
+
     def test_deep_update_dict(self):
         origin_dict = {'a': 1, 'b': {'c': 3, 'd': 4}, 'f': 6}
         override_dict = {'a': 2, 'b': {'c': 33, 'e': 5}, 'g': 7}