diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 4c5af339..70b3b850 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.3.158
+8.3.159
diff --git a/commands/CmdE.c b/commands/CmdE.c
index cd6265c1..7d0c8f0e 100644
--- a/commands/CmdE.c
+++ b/commands/CmdE.c
@@ -880,6 +880,7 @@ cmdExpandFunc(use, windowMask)
 #define	DOLENGTH	4
 #define	DOLOCAL		5
 #define	DORESISTANCE	6
+#define	DOLABELCHECK	7
 
 #define	LENCLEAR	0
 #define	LENDRIVER	1
@@ -922,6 +923,7 @@ CmdExtract(w, cmd)
 	"length			compute driver-receiver pathlengths",
 	"local			put all generated files in the current directory",
 	"resistance		estimate resistance",
+	"labelcheck		check for connections through sticky labels",
 	NULL
     };
     static char *cmdExtLength[] =
@@ -1141,6 +1143,7 @@ CmdExtract(w, cmd)
 		TxPrintf("%s length\n", OPTSET(EXT_DOLENGTH));
 		TxPrintf("%s local\n", OPTSET(EXT_DOLOCAL));
 		TxPrintf("%s resistance\n", OPTSET(EXT_DORESISTANCE));
+		TxPrintf("%s label check\n", OPTSET(EXT_DOLABELCHECK));
 		return;
 #undef	OPTSET
 	    }
@@ -1169,6 +1172,7 @@ CmdExtract(w, cmd)
 		case DOLENGTH:		option = EXT_DOLENGTH; break;
 		case DOLOCAL:		option = EXT_DOLOCAL; break;
 		case DORESISTANCE:	option = EXT_DORESISTANCE; break;
+		case DOLABELCHECK:	option = EXT_DOLABELCHECK; break;
 	    }
 	    if (no) ExtOptions &= ~option;
 	    else ExtOptions |= option;
diff --git a/extract/ExtHier.c b/extract/ExtHier.c
index 8e51d155..022afa67 100644
--- a/extract/ExtHier.c
+++ b/extract/ExtHier.c
@@ -346,6 +346,8 @@ extHierConnectFunc1(oneTile, ha)
     /* This allows the extractor to catch "sticky" labels that are not	*/
     /* attached to a physical layer in the parent cell.			*/
 
+    if (!(ExtOptions & EXT_DOLABELCHECK)) return 0;
+
     // NOTE by Tim, 9/10/2014:  This generates phantom nodes when the
     // labels are created by the "hard" node search;  I think this code
     // should be restricted to sticky labels only.  But not certain.
@@ -393,31 +395,7 @@ extHierConnectFunc1(oneTile, ha)
 		    node1->node_names = node2->node_names;
 		    freeMagic((char *) node2);
 		}
-
-#if 0
-		/* Copy this label to the parent def with a	*/
-		/* special flag, so we can output it as a node	*/
-	 	/* and then delete it.  Don't duplicate labels	*/
-		/* that are already in the parent.		*/
-
-		for (newlab = ha->ha_parentUse->cu_def->cd_labels;
-				newlab; newlab = newlab->lab_next)
-		    if (!strcmp(newlab->lab_text, lab->lab_text))
-			break;
-
-		if (newlab == NULL)
-		{
-		    n = sizeof(Label) + strlen(lab->lab_text)
-				- sizeof lab->lab_text + 1;
-		    newlab = (Label *)mallocMagic((unsigned)n);
-		    bcopy((char *)lab, (char *)newlab, (int)n);
-
-		    newlab->lab_next = ha->ha_parentUse->cu_def->cd_labels;
-		    ha->ha_parentUse->cu_def->cd_labels = newlab;
-		}
-#endif
 	    }
-
     }
     return (0);
 }
diff --git a/extract/extract.h b/extract/extract.h
index d01c9393..29988449 100644
--- a/extract/extract.h
+++ b/extract/extract.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ extern char *extDevTable[];
 #define	EXT_DOLENGTH		0x10	/* Extract pathlengths */
 #define	EXT_DOALL		0x1f	/* ALL OF THE ABOVE */
 #define	EXT_DOLOCAL		0x20	/* Write to local directory only */
+#define	EXT_DOLABELCHECK	0x40	/* Check for connections by label */
 
 extern int ExtOptions;		/* Bitmask of above */