diff --git a/eeschema/sch_io_mgr.h b/eeschema/sch_io_mgr.h
index 7d699eb22c..0a7e6b93bb 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_io_mgr.h
+++ b/eeschema/sch_io_mgr.h
@@ -304,10 +304,12 @@ public:
 
     /**
      * Function SaveSymbol
-     * will write @a aSymbol to an existing library located at @a aLibraryPath.
-     * If a #LIB_PART by the same name already exists or there are any conflicting
-     * alias names, an exception is thrown.  Symbol libraries cannot have duplicate
-     * alias names.
+     *
+     * will write @a aSymbol to an existing library located at @a aLibraryPath.  If a #LIB_PART
+     * by the same name already exists or there are any conflicting alias names, the new
+     * #LIB_PART will silently overwrite any existing aliases and/or part becaue libraries
+     * cannot have duplicate alias names.  It is the responsibility of the caller to check
+     * the library for conflicts before saving.
      *
      * @param aLibraryPath is a locator for the "library", usually a directory, file,
      *                     or URL containing several symbols.
@@ -321,7 +323,7 @@ public:
      *                    The caller continues to own this object (plugin may not delete it), and
      *                    plugins should expect it to be optionally NULL.
      *
-     * @throw IO_ERROR if there is a problem saving or duplicate alias names.
+     * @throw IO_ERROR if there is a problem saving.
      */
     virtual void SaveSymbol( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const LIB_PART* aSymbol,
                              const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL );
@@ -374,23 +376,22 @@ public:
                                const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL );
 
     /**
-     * Function SymbolLibCreate
-     * creates a new empty footprint library at @a aLibraryPath empty.  It is an
-     * error to attempt to create an existing library or to attempt to create
-     * on a "read only" location.
+     * Function CreateSymbolLib
+     * creates a new empty symbol library at @a aLibraryPath.  It is an error to attempt
+     * to create an existing library or to attempt to create on a "read only" location.
      *
      * @param aLibraryPath is a locator for the "library", usually a directory, file,
-     *   or URL containing several footprints.
+     *                     or URL containing several footprints.
      *
-     * @param aProperties is an associative array that can be used to tell the
-     *  library create function anything special, because it can take any number of
-     *  additional named tuning arguments that the plugin is known to support.
-     *  The caller continues to own this object (plugin may not delete it), and
-     *  plugins should expect it to be optionally NULL.
+     * @param aProperties is an associative array that can be used to tell the library
+     *                    create function anything special, because it can take any number
+     *                    of additional named tuning arguments that the plugin is known to
+     *                    support.  The caller continues to own this object (plugin may not
+     *                    delete it), and plugins should expect it to be optionally NULL.
      *
      * @throw IO_ERROR if there is a problem finding the library, or creating it.
      */
-    virtual void SymbolLibCreate( const wxString& aLibraryPath,
+    virtual void CreateSymbolLib( const wxString& aLibraryPath,
                                   const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL );
 
     /**
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.cpp b/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.cpp
index c91e45a6de..2beeece702 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.cpp
@@ -3373,3 +3373,24 @@ void SCH_LEGACY_PLUGIN::DeleteSymbol( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const wxStri
 
     m_cache->DeleteSymbol( aAliasName );
 }
+
+
+void SCH_LEGACY_PLUGIN::CreateSymbolLib( const wxString& aLibraryPath,
+                                         const PROPERTIES* aProperties )
+{
+    if( wxFileExists( aLibraryPath ) )
+    {
+        THROW_IO_ERROR( wxString::Format(
+            _( "symbol library '%s' already exists, cannot create a new library" ),
+            aLibraryPath.GetData() ) );
+    }
+
+    LOCALE_IO toggle;
+
+    m_props = aProperties;
+
+    delete m_cache;
+    m_cache = new SCH_LEGACY_PLUGIN_CACHE( aLibraryPath );
+    m_cache->Save();
+    m_cache->Load();    // update m_writable and m_mod_time
+}
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.h b/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.h
index f873dac052..6cc396800a 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.h
+++ b/eeschema/sch_legacy_plugin.h
@@ -92,9 +92,10 @@ public:
                      const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL ) override;
     void DeleteAlias( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const wxString& aAliasName,
                       const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL ) override;
-
     void DeleteSymbol( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const wxString& aAliasName,
                        const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL ) override;
+    void CreateSymbolLib( const wxString& aLibraryPath,
+                          const PROPERTIES* aProperties = NULL ) override;
 
     // Temporary for testing using PART_LIB instead of SCH_PLUGIN.
     void TransferCache( PART_LIB& aTarget ) override;
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_plugin.cpp b/eeschema/sch_plugin.cpp
index 8243875396..e8b5d9b5eb 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_plugin.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/sch_plugin.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void SCH_PLUGIN::DeleteSymbol( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const wxString& aAl
 }
 
 
-void SCH_PLUGIN::SymbolLibCreate( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const PROPERTIES* aProperties )
+void SCH_PLUGIN::CreateSymbolLib( const wxString& aLibraryPath, const PROPERTIES* aProperties )
 {
     // not pure virtual so that plugins only have to implement subset of the SCH_PLUGIN interface.
     not_implemented( this, __FUNCTION__ );