diff --git a/src/db/db/dbArray.h b/src/db/db/dbArray.h
index 78e7fd402..a5e1222ca 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbArray.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbArray.h
@@ -115,8 +115,12 @@ struct ArrayBase
 
   virtual bool equal (const ArrayBase *) const = 0;
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *) const = 0;
+
   virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *) const = 0;
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *) const = 0;
+
   virtual void mem_stat (MemStatistics *stat, MemStatistics::purpose_t purpose, int cat, bool no_self = false, void *parent = 0) const = 0;
 
   bool in_repository;
@@ -558,6 +562,12 @@ struct regular_array
     return (m_a == d->m_a && m_b == d->m_b && m_amax == d->m_amax && m_bmax == d->m_bmax);
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const regular_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    return (m_a.equal (d->m_a) && m_b.equal (d->m_b) && m_amax == d->m_amax && m_bmax == d->m_bmax);
+  }
+
   virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const
   {
     const regular_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_array<Coord> *> (b);
@@ -566,6 +576,14 @@ struct regular_array
            m_amax < d->m_amax || (m_amax == d->m_amax && m_bmax < d->m_bmax)))));
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const regular_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    return m_a.less (d->m_a) || (m_a.equal (d->m_a) && (
+           m_b.less (d->m_b) || (m_b.equal (d->m_b) && (
+           m_amax < d->m_amax || (m_amax == d->m_amax && m_bmax < d->m_bmax)))));
+  }
+
   virtual bool is_regular_array (vector_type &a, vector_type &b, unsigned long &amax, unsigned long &bmax) const
   {
     a = m_a;
@@ -706,6 +724,18 @@ struct regular_complex_array
     return regular_array<Coord>::equal (b);
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const regular_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (fabs (m_acos - d->m_acos) > epsilon) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (fabs (m_mag - d->m_mag) > epsilon) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return regular_array<Coord>::fuzzy_equal (b);
+  }
+
   virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const
   {
     const regular_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
@@ -718,6 +748,18 @@ struct regular_complex_array
     return regular_array<Coord>::less (b);
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const regular_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const regular_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (fabs (m_acos - d->m_acos) > epsilon) {
+      return m_acos < d->m_acos;
+    }
+    if (fabs (m_mag - d->m_mag) > epsilon) {
+      return m_mag < d->m_mag;
+    }
+    return regular_array<Coord>::fuzzy_less (b);
+  }
+
   virtual void mem_stat (MemStatistics *stat, MemStatistics::purpose_t purpose, int cat, bool no_self, void *parent) const
   {
     if (!no_self) {
@@ -983,6 +1025,20 @@ struct iterated_array
     return true;
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const iterated_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (m_v.size () != d->m_v.size ()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    for (const_iterator p1 = m_v.begin (), p2 = d->m_v.begin (); p1 != m_v.end (); ++p1, ++p2) {
+      if (! p1->equal (*p2)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
   virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const
   {
     const iterated_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_array<Coord> *> (b);
@@ -997,6 +1053,20 @@ struct iterated_array
     return false;
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const iterated_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (m_v.size () != d->m_v.size ()) {
+      return (m_v.size () < d->m_v.size ());
+    }
+    for (const_iterator p1 = m_v.begin (), p2 = d->m_v.begin (); p1 != m_v.end (); ++p1, ++p2) {
+      if (! p1->equal (*p2)) {
+        return (p1->less (*p2));
+      }
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   virtual void mem_stat (MemStatistics *stat, MemStatistics::purpose_t purpose, int cat, bool no_self, void *parent) const
   {
     if (!no_self) {
@@ -1104,6 +1174,18 @@ struct iterated_complex_array
     return iterated_array<Coord>::equal (b);
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (fabs (m_acos - d->m_acos) > epsilon) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (fabs (m_mag - d->m_mag) > epsilon) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return iterated_array<Coord>::fuzzy_equal (b);
+  }
+
   virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const
   {
     const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
@@ -1116,6 +1198,18 @@ struct iterated_complex_array
     return iterated_array<Coord>::less (b);
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *d = static_cast<const iterated_complex_array<Coord> *> (b);
+    if (fabs (m_acos - d->m_acos) > epsilon) {
+      return m_acos < d->m_acos;
+    }
+    if (fabs (m_mag - d->m_mag) > epsilon) {
+      return m_mag < d->m_mag;
+    }
+    return iterated_array<Coord>::fuzzy_less (b);
+  }
+
   virtual complex_trans_type complex_trans (const simple_trans_type &s) const
   {
     return complex_trans_type (s, m_acos, m_mag);
@@ -1206,7 +1300,12 @@ struct single_complex_inst
     return true;
   }
 
-  virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_equal (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    return equal (b);
+  }
+
+  virtual bool less (const ArrayBase *b) const
   {
     const double epsilon = 1e-10;
     const single_complex_inst<Coord> *d = static_cast<const single_complex_inst<Coord> *> (b);
@@ -1219,6 +1318,11 @@ struct single_complex_inst
     return false;
   }
 
+  virtual bool fuzzy_less (const ArrayBase *b) const
+  {
+    return less (b);
+  }
+
   virtual void mem_stat (MemStatistics *stat, MemStatistics::purpose_t purpose, int cat, bool no_self, void *parent) const
   {
     if (!no_self) {
@@ -2019,6 +2123,21 @@ struct array
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Compare operator for equality (fuzzy version)
+   */
+  bool equal (const array<Obj, Trans> &d) const
+  {
+    if (! mp_base) {
+      return (m_trans.equal (d.m_trans) && m_obj == d.m_obj && ! d.mp_base);
+    } else {
+      if (! m_trans.equal (d.m_trans) || ! (m_obj == d.m_obj) || type () != d.type ()) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      return mp_base && mp_base->fuzzy_equal (d.mp_base);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    *  @brief A sorting order criterion
    */
@@ -2044,6 +2163,31 @@ struct array
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief A fuzzy sorting order criterion
+   */
+  bool less (const array<Obj, Trans> &d) const
+  {
+    if (! (m_obj == d.m_obj)) {
+      return (m_obj < d.m_obj);
+    }
+    if (! m_trans.equal (d.m_trans)) {
+      return m_trans.less (d.m_trans);
+    }
+    if (type () != d.type ()) {
+      return (type () < d.type ());
+    }
+    if (mp_base == d.mp_base) {
+      return false;
+    } else if (! mp_base) {
+      return true;
+    } else if (! d.mp_base) {
+      return false;
+    } else {
+      return mp_base->fuzzy_less (d.mp_base);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    *  @brief Compare operator
    *
diff --git a/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbCell.cc b/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbCell.cc
index d6f2bef9d..a0ff3b0f6 100644
--- a/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbCell.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbCell.cc
@@ -371,17 +371,17 @@ struct cell_inst_array_defs
 
   static bool less (const C *i, const C &other)
   {
-    return *i < other;
+    return i->less (other);
   }
 
   static bool equal (const C *i, const C &other)
   {
-    return *i == other;
+    return i->equal (other);
   }
 
   static bool not_equal (const C *i, const C &other)
   {
-    return ! equal (i, other);
+    return ! i->equal (other);
   }
 
   static gsi::Methods methods (bool new_doc)
diff --git a/testdata/ruby/dbCellInstArrayTest.rb b/testdata/ruby/dbCellInstArrayTest.rb
index 7f2e03f4d..fb61fedc7 100644
--- a/testdata/ruby/dbCellInstArrayTest.rb
+++ b/testdata/ruby/dbCellInstArrayTest.rb
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ class DBCellInst_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(at.trans.to_s, "r90 0,0")
     assert_equal(at.cplx_trans.to_s, "r135 *1 0,0")
 
-    assert_equal(at < a, true)
+    assert_equal(at < a, false)
     assert_equal(at < atdup, false)
-    assert_equal(a < at, false)
+    assert_equal(a < at, true)
     assert_equal(atdup < at, false)
     assert_equal(a != at, true)
     assert_equal(a == at, false)
@@ -143,9 +143,9 @@ class DBCellInst_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(at.cplx_trans.to_s, "r135 *1 0,0")
     assert_equal(at.to_s, "#0 r135 *1 0,0 [-20,10*3;-40,30*5]")
 
-    assert_equal(at < a, true)
+    assert_equal(at < a, false)
     assert_equal(at < atdup, false)
-    assert_equal(a < at, false)
+    assert_equal(a < at, true)
     assert_equal(atdup < at, false)
     assert_equal(a != at, true)
     assert_equal(a == at, false)
@@ -210,9 +210,9 @@ class DBCellInst_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(at.trans.to_s, "r90 0,0")
     assert_equal(at.cplx_trans.to_s, "r135 *1 0,0")
 
-    assert_equal(at < a, true)
+    assert_equal(at < a, false)
     assert_equal(at < atdup, false)
-    assert_equal(a < at, false)
+    assert_equal(a < at, true)
     assert_equal(atdup < at, false)
     assert_equal(a != at, true)
     assert_equal(a == at, false)
@@ -272,9 +272,9 @@ class DBCellInst_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(at.cplx_trans.to_s, "r135 *1 0,0")
     assert_equal(at.to_s, "#0 r135 *1 0,0 [-20,10*3;-40,30*5]")
 
-    assert_equal(at < a, true)
+    assert_equal(at < a, false)
     assert_equal(at < atdup, false)
-    assert_equal(a < at, false)
+    assert_equal(a < at, true)
     assert_equal(atdup < at, false)
     assert_equal(a != at, true)
     assert_equal(a == at, false)