diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_update_pcb.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_update_pcb.cpp
index dfc79ca841..ce2751e2c1 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_update_pcb.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_update_pcb.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ DIALOG_UPDATE_PCB::DIALOG_UPDATE_PCB( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* aParent, NETLIST* aNetlist
 {
     auto cfg = m_frame->GetSettings();
 
+    m_cbRelinkFootprints->SetValue( cfg->m_NetlistDialog.associate_by_ref_sch );
     m_cbUpdateFootprints->SetValue( cfg->m_NetlistDialog.update_footprints );
     m_cbDeleteExtraFootprints->SetValue( cfg->m_NetlistDialog.delete_extra_footprints );
     m_cbDeleteSinglePadNets->SetValue( cfg->m_NetlistDialog.delete_single_pad_nets );
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ DIALOG_UPDATE_PCB::~DIALOG_UPDATE_PCB()
 
     auto cfg = m_frame->GetSettings();
 
+    cfg->m_NetlistDialog.associate_by_ref_sch    = m_cbRelinkFootprints->GetValue();
     cfg->m_NetlistDialog.update_footprints       = m_cbUpdateFootprints->GetValue();
     cfg->m_NetlistDialog.delete_extra_footprints = m_cbDeleteExtraFootprints->GetValue();
     cfg->m_NetlistDialog.delete_single_pad_nets  = m_cbDeleteSinglePadNets->GetValue();
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.cpp
index a59c28e4b1..726c52ddae 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.cpp
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ PCBNEW_SETTINGS::PCBNEW_SETTINGS() : APP_SETTINGS_BASE( "pcbnew", pcbnewSchemaVe
     m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<bool>(
             "netlist.delete_single_pad_nets", &m_NetlistDialog.delete_single_pad_nets, false ) );
 
+    m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<bool>(
+            "netlist.associate_by_ref_sch", &m_NetlistDialog.associate_by_ref_sch, false ) );
+
     m_params.emplace_back(new PARAM<int>( "place_file.units", &m_PlaceFile.units, 1 ) );
 
     m_params.emplace_back(
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.h b/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.h
index cf7b985f73..d2ac6ef1ee 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.h
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew_settings.h
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ public:
         bool delete_shorting_tracks;
         bool delete_extra_footprints;
         bool delete_single_pad_nets;
+        bool associate_by_ref_sch;
     };
 
     struct DIALOG_PLACE_FILE