diff --git a/eeschema/sch_edit_frame.cpp b/eeschema/sch_edit_frame.cpp
index 6b4435022b..4ef114fd40 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_edit_frame.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/sch_edit_frame.cpp
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ void SCH_EDIT_FRAME::SetSheetNumberAndCount()
     for( screen = s_list.GetFirst(); screen != NULL; screen = s_list.GetNext() )
         screen->SetPageCount( sheet_count );
 
+    GetCurrentSheet().SetVirtualPageNumber( sheet_number );
     GetScreen()->SetVirtualPageNumber( sheet_number );
     GetScreen()->SetPageNumber( GetCurrentSheet().GetPageNumber() );
 }
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.cpp b/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.cpp
index 37e86b36b8..d01fed2437 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ namespace std
 
 SCH_SHEET_PATH::SCH_SHEET_PATH()
 {
-    m_pageNumber = 0;
+    m_virtualPageNumber = 0;
     m_current_hash = 0;
 }
 
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ SCH_SHEET_PATH& SCH_SHEET_PATH::operator=( const SCH_SHEET_PATH& aOther )
 
 void SCH_SHEET_PATH::initFromOther( const SCH_SHEET_PATH& aOther )
 {
-    m_sheets       = aOther.m_sheets;
-    m_pageNumber   = aOther.m_pageNumber;
-    m_current_hash = aOther.m_current_hash;
+    m_sheets            = aOther.m_sheets;
+    m_virtualPageNumber = aOther.m_virtualPageNumber;
+    m_current_hash      = aOther.m_current_hash;
 
     // Note: don't copy m_recursion_test_cache as it is slow and we want SCH_SHEET_PATHS to be
     // very fast to construct for use in the connectivity algorithm.
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ void SCH_SHEET_PATH::GetComponents( SCH_REFERENCE_LIST& aReferences, bool aInclu
             {
                 SCH_REFERENCE schReference( component, part, *this );
 
-                schReference.SetSheetNumber( m_pageNumber );
+                schReference.SetSheetNumber( m_virtualPageNumber );
                 aReferences.AddItem( schReference );
             }
         }
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ void SCH_SHEET_PATH::GetMultiUnitComponents( SCH_MULTI_UNIT_REFERENCE_MAP& aRefL
         if( part && part->GetUnitCount() > 1 )
         {
             SCH_REFERENCE schReference = SCH_REFERENCE( component, part, *this );
-            schReference.SetSheetNumber( m_pageNumber );
+            schReference.SetSheetNumber( m_virtualPageNumber );
             wxString reference_str = schReference.GetRef();
 
             // Never lock unassigned references
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ void SCH_SHEET_LIST::BuildSheetList( SCH_SHEET* aSheet, bool aCheckIntegrity )
     std::vector<SCH_SHEET*> badSheets;
 
     m_currentSheetPath.push_back( aSheet );
-
+    m_currentSheetPath.SetVirtualPageNumber( static_cast<int>( size() ) + 1 );
     push_back( m_currentSheetPath );
 
     if( m_currentSheetPath.LastScreen() )
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.h b/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.h
index 8b673616f3..0dc87c8f5a 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.h
+++ b/eeschema/sch_sheet_path.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ protected:
 
     size_t m_current_hash;
 
-    int m_pageNumber;              /// Page numbers are maintained by the sheet load order.
+    int m_virtualPageNumber;           /// Page numbers are maintained by the sheet load order.
 
     std::map<std::pair<wxString, wxString>, bool> m_recursion_test_cache;
 
@@ -186,6 +186,24 @@ public:
 
     size_t GetCurrentHash() const { return m_current_hash; }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the sheet instance virtual page number.
+     *
+     * Virtual page numbers are incremental integers set automatically when the sheet path
+     * hierarchy is created (@see #SCH_SHEET_LIST::BuildSheetList).  The virtual page
+     * numbering is ordered by the X and Y position of the sheet in a schematic which
+     * mimics the page numbering code prior to the addition of actual user definable page
+     * numbers.  Virtual page numbers should only be use when annotating schematics.
+     */
+    void SetVirtualPageNumber( int aPageNumber ) { m_virtualPageNumber = aPageNumber; }
+
+    int GetVirtualPageNumber() const { return m_virtualPageNumber; }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the sheet instance user definable page number.
+     *
+     * @note User definable page numbers can be any string devoid of white space characters.
+     */
     void SetPageNumber( const wxString& aPageNumber );
 
     wxString GetPageNumber() const;