diff --git a/eeschema/erc.cpp b/eeschema/erc.cpp
index 2bc2d99971..daaeafd425 100644
--- a/eeschema/erc.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/erc.cpp
@@ -744,8 +744,9 @@ int ERC_TESTER::TestLibSymbolIssues()
             }
 
             std::unique_ptr<LIB_SYMBOL> flattenedSymbol = libSymbol->Flatten();
+            constexpr int flags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::EQUALITY | LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::ERC;
 
-            if( *flattenedSymbol != *libSymbolInSchematic )
+            if( flattenedSymbol->Compare( *libSymbolInSchematic, flags ) != 0 )
             {
                 std::shared_ptr<ERC_ITEM> ercItem = ERC_ITEM::Create( ERCE_LIB_SYMBOL_ISSUES );
                 ercItem->SetItems( symbol );
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_field.cpp b/eeschema/lib_field.cpp
index 1f46eee959..3205b0ea8e 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_field.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_field.cpp
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ void LIB_FIELD::Copy( LIB_FIELD* aTarget ) const
 }
 
 
-int LIB_FIELD::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_FIELD::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     wxASSERT( aOther.Type() == LIB_FIELD_T );
 
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_field.h b/eeschema/lib_field.h
index 696507c2b0..58bd61179c 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_field.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_field.h
@@ -185,8 +185,7 @@ private:
      *      - Field width.
      *      - Field height.
      */
-    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther,
-            LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const override;
+    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const override;
 
     /**
      * Print the field.
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_item.cpp b/eeschema/lib_item.cpp
index 4ced5f420d..eb2c7a59f9 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_item.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_item.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void LIB_ITEM::GetMsgPanelInfo( EDA_DRAW_FRAME* aFrame, std::vector<MSG_PANEL_IT
 }
 
 
-int LIB_ITEM::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_ITEM::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     if( Type() != aOther.Type() )
         return Type() - aOther.Type();
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_item.h b/eeschema/lib_item.h
index b30f6507cc..83a1357d23 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_item.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_item.h
@@ -73,11 +73,19 @@ public:
     /**
      * The list of flags used by the #compare function.
      *
-     * - NORMAL This compares everything between two #LIB_ITEM objects.
-     * - UNIT This compare flag ignores unit and convert and pin number information when
-     *        comparing #LIB_ITEM objects for unit comparison.
+     * - UNIT This flag relaxes unit, conversion and pin number constraints.  It is used for
+     *        #LIB_ITEM object unit comparisons.
+     * - EQUALITY This flag relaxes ordering contstraints so that fields, etc. don't have to
+     *            appear in the same order to be considered equal.
+     * - ERC This flag relaxes constraints on data that is settable in the schematic editor.  It
+     *       compares only symbol-editor-only data.
      */
-    enum COMPARE_FLAGS : int { NORMAL = 0x00, UNIT = 0x01, EQUALITY = 0x02 };
+    enum COMPARE_FLAGS : int
+    {
+        UNIT     = 0x01,
+        EQUALITY = 0x02,
+        ERC      = 0x04
+    };
 
     /**
      * Provide a user-consumable name of the object type.  Perform localization when
@@ -285,8 +293,7 @@ protected:
      *         zero if the object is equal to \a aOther object, or greater than 0 if the
      *         object is greater than \a aOther object.
      */
-    virtual int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther,
-            LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const;
+    virtual int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const;
 
     /**
      * Print the item to \a aDC.
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_pin.cpp b/eeschema/lib_pin.cpp
index a2df629249..56a77475eb 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_pin.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_pin.cpp
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ EDA_ITEM* LIB_PIN::Clone() const
 }
 
 
-int LIB_PIN::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_PIN::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     wxASSERT( aOther.Type() == LIB_PIN_T );
 
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_pin.h b/eeschema/lib_pin.h
index 9a23f268f0..e36006a4f7 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_pin.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_pin.h
@@ -273,8 +273,7 @@ private:
      *      - Pin horizontal (X) position.
      *      - Pin vertical (Y) position.
      */
-    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther,
-            LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const override;
+    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const override;
 
 protected:
     wxPoint                 m_position;      // Position of the pin.
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_shape.cpp b/eeschema/lib_shape.cpp
index 858544f924..3ebb37de78 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_shape.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_shape.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ EDA_ITEM* LIB_SHAPE::Clone() const
 }
 
 
-int LIB_SHAPE::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_SHAPE::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     int retv = LIB_ITEM::compare( aOther, aCompareFlags );
 
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_shape.h b/eeschema/lib_shape.h
index fc71ded592..a16907c58e 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_shape.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_shape.h
@@ -113,8 +113,7 @@ private:
      *      - Circle vertical (Y) position.
      *      - Circle radius.
      */
-    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther,
-            LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const override;
+    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const override;
 
     void print( const RENDER_SETTINGS* aSettings, const wxPoint& aOffset, void* aData,
                 const TRANSFORM& aTransform ) override;
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_symbol.cpp b/eeschema/lib_symbol.cpp
index 2a9534fd3c..848ae6d3f1 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_symbol.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_symbol.cpp
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ const LIB_SYMBOL& LIB_SYMBOL::operator=( const LIB_SYMBOL& aSymbol )
 }
 
 
-int LIB_SYMBOL::Compare( const LIB_SYMBOL& aRhs, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_SYMBOL::Compare( const LIB_SYMBOL& aRhs, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     if( m_me == aRhs.m_me )
         return 0;
@@ -322,17 +322,20 @@ int LIB_SYMBOL::Compare( const LIB_SYMBOL& aRhs, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompar
     if( m_unitsLocked != aRhs.m_unitsLocked )
         return ( m_unitsLocked ) ? 1 : -1;
 
-    if( m_showPinNames != aRhs.m_showPinNames )
-        return ( m_showPinNames ) ? 1 : -1;
+    if( ( aCompareFlags & LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::ERC ) == 0 )
+    {
+        if( m_showPinNames != aRhs.m_showPinNames )
+            return ( m_showPinNames ) ? 1 : -1;
 
-    if( m_showPinNumbers != aRhs.m_showPinNumbers )
-        return ( m_showPinNumbers ) ? 1 : -1;
+        if( m_showPinNumbers != aRhs.m_showPinNumbers )
+            return ( m_showPinNumbers ) ? 1 : -1;
 
-    if( m_includeInBom != aRhs.m_includeInBom )
-        return ( m_includeInBom ) ? 1 : -1;
+        if( m_includeInBom != aRhs.m_includeInBom )
+            return ( m_includeInBom ) ? 1 : -1;
 
-    if( m_includeOnBoard != aRhs.m_includeOnBoard )
-        return ( m_includeOnBoard ) ? 1 : -1;
+        if( m_includeOnBoard != aRhs.m_includeOnBoard )
+            return ( m_includeOnBoard ) ? 1 : -1;
+    }
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_symbol.h b/eeschema/lib_symbol.h
index cb837eae70..c8563946ed 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_symbol.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_symbol.h
@@ -612,8 +612,7 @@ public:
      *         1 if this symbol is greater than \a aRhs
      *         0 if this symbol is the same as \a aRhs
      */
-    int Compare( const LIB_SYMBOL& aRhs,
-                 LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const;
+    int Compare( const LIB_SYMBOL& aRhs, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const;
 
     bool operator==( const LIB_SYMBOL* aSymbol ) const { return this == aSymbol; }
     bool operator==( const LIB_SYMBOL& aSymbol ) const
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_text.cpp b/eeschema/lib_text.cpp
index cfc51b5247..a6fda9cfd1 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_text.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/lib_text.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ EDA_ITEM* LIB_TEXT::Clone() const
 }
 
 
-int LIB_TEXT::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags ) const
+int LIB_TEXT::compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags ) const
 {
     wxASSERT( aOther.Type() == LIB_TEXT_T );
 
diff --git a/eeschema/lib_text.h b/eeschema/lib_text.h
index 5082120ec2..3cfe3ee495 100644
--- a/eeschema/lib_text.h
+++ b/eeschema/lib_text.h
@@ -117,8 +117,7 @@ private:
      *      - Text width.
      *      - Text height.
      */
-    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther,
-            LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS aCompareFlags = LIB_ITEM::COMPARE_FLAGS::NORMAL ) const override;
+    int compare( const LIB_ITEM& aOther, int aCompareFlags = 0 ) const override;
 
     void print( const RENDER_SETTINGS* aSettings, const wxPoint& aOffset, void* aData,
                 const TRANSFORM& aTransform ) override;