diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 110fd1b..ce8755f 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.5.248
+1.5.249
diff --git a/base/netcmp.c b/base/netcmp.c
index af61c5d..dbfcaf0 100644
--- a/base/netcmp.c
+++ b/base/netcmp.c
@@ -7068,12 +7068,15 @@ int IgnoreClass(char *name, int file, unsigned char type)
 /* If file1 and file2 are -1, then these are names to	*/
 /* be checked as netcmp works through the hierarchy.  	*/
 /* Otherwise, look up the structure for each file and	*/
-/* set the classhash of the second to that of the first	*/
+/* set the classhash of the second to that of the	*/
+/* first.  If "dounique" is 1, then give the two cells	*/
+/* their own class hash;  they will not be compared	*/
+/* any other cells in either netlist.			*/
 /*							*/
 /* Return 1 on success, 0 on failure			*/
 /*------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-int EquivalenceClasses(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2)
+int EquivalenceClasses(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2, int dounique)
 {
    char *class1, *class2;
    struct Correspond *newc;
@@ -7098,16 +7101,19 @@ int EquivalenceClasses(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2)
       if (tp->flags & CELL_DUPLICATE)
 	 reverse = 1;
 
-      /* Do a cross-check for each name in the other netlist.  If 	*/
-      /* conflicting names exist, then alter the classhash to make it	*/
-      /* unique.  In the case of duplicate cells, don't do this.	*/
+      if (dounique) {
 
-      if (!(tp->flags & CELL_DUPLICATE) && !(tp2->flags & CELL_DUPLICATE) &&
+	 /* Do a cross-check for each name in the other netlist.  If 	*/
+	 /* conflicting names exist, then alter the classhash to make 	*/
+	 /* it unique.  In the case of duplicate cells, don't do this.	*/
+
+	 if (!(tp->flags & CELL_DUPLICATE) && !(tp2->flags & CELL_DUPLICATE) &&
 			!(*matchfunc)(name1, name2)) {
-	 tpx = LookupCellFile(name1, file2);
-	 if (tpx != NULL) need_new_seed = 1;
-	 tpx = LookupCellFile(name2, file1);
-	 if (tpx != NULL) need_new_seed = 1;
+	    tpx = LookupCellFile(name1, file2);
+	    if (tpx != NULL) need_new_seed = 1;
+	    tpx = LookupCellFile(name2, file1);
+	    if (tpx != NULL) need_new_seed = 1;
+	 }
       }
 
       /* Now make the classhash values the same so that these cells	*/
diff --git a/base/netcmp.h b/base/netcmp.h
index 72dd03c..3aa7a82 100644
--- a/base/netcmp.h
+++ b/base/netcmp.h
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ extern int PermuteSetup(char *model, int filenum, char *pin1, char *pin2);
 extern int PermuteForget(char *model, int filenum, char *pin1, char *pin2);
 extern int EquivalenceElements(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2);
 extern int EquivalenceNodes(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2);
-extern int EquivalenceClasses(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2);
+extern int EquivalenceClasses(char *name1, int file1, char *name2, int file2,
+		int dounique);
 extern int IgnoreClass(char *name, int file, unsigned char type);
 extern int MatchPins(struct nlist *tp1, struct nlist *tp2, int dolist);
 extern int PropertyOptimize(struct objlist *ob, struct nlist *tp, int run,
diff --git a/tcltk/tclnetgen.c b/tcltk/tclnetgen.c
index 90b415a..a9e927a 100644
--- a/tcltk/tclnetgen.c
+++ b/tcltk/tclnetgen.c
@@ -2902,7 +2902,7 @@ _netcmp_equate(ClientData clientData,
    struct ElementClass *saveEclass = NULL;
    struct NodeClass *saveNclass = NULL;
    int file1, file2;
-   int i, l1, l2, ltest, lent, dolist = 0, doforce = 0;
+   int i, l1, l2, ltest, lent, dolist = 0, doforce = 0, dounique = 0;
    Tcl_Obj *tobj1, *tobj2, *tobj3;
 
    while (objc > 1) {
@@ -2918,6 +2918,11 @@ _netcmp_equate(ClientData clientData,
 	 objv++;
 	 objc--;
       }
+      else if (!strcmp(optstart, "unique")) {
+	 dounique = 1;
+	 objv++;
+	 objc--;
+      }
       else
 	 break;
    }
@@ -3342,19 +3347,9 @@ _netcmp_equate(ClientData clientData,
 		    return TCL_ERROR;
 		}
 	    }
-
-	    /* Now that all pins are assigned by name, reorder	*/
-	    /* the pin lists of the 2nd cell to match the	*/
-	    /* order of the 1st.				*/
-
-	    /* Reorder the pin lists of instances of the 2nd	*/
-	    /* cell to match the order of the 1st.		*/
-
-	    // pindata.cell2 = tp2;
-	    // RecurseCellHashTable2(pinorder, (void *)(&pindata));
 	 }
 
-	 if (EquivalenceClasses(tp1->name, file1, tp2->name, file2)) {
+	 if (EquivalenceClasses(tp1->name, file1, tp2->name, file2, dounique)) {
 	    Fprintf(stdout, "Device classes %s and %s are equivalent.\n",
 			tp1->name, tp2->name);
 	    Tcl_SetObjResult(interp, Tcl_NewBooleanObj(1));