diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 47d3fe3..b05db56 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.5.256
+1.5.257
diff --git a/base/flatten.c b/base/flatten.c
index 1a48b2d..1f3b7dc 100644
--- a/base/flatten.c
+++ b/base/flatten.c
@@ -1215,7 +1215,6 @@ int UniquePins(char *name, int filenum)
    firstport = (struct objlist **)CALLOC(maxnode + 1, sizeof(struct objlist *));
 
    portcount = FIRSTPIN;
-   lob = NULL;
    for (ob = ThisCell->cell; ob != NULL; ob = ob->next) {
       if (ob->type != PORT) break;
       if (ob->node > 0) {
@@ -1226,16 +1225,12 @@ int UniquePins(char *name, int filenum)
 			firstport[ob->node]->name, ThisCell->name, ThisCell->file);
 	       /* Do not count this as a duplicate pin. */
 	       nodecount[ob->node]--;
-	       /* Move the pin adjacent to the one it is shorted to (if it	
-		* isn't already);  this will make the work of MatchPins() easier.
+	       /* Note:  Previously there was code here to move the shorted port
+		* next to the pin it is shorted to.  This causes the cell def pins
+		* to become scrambled with respect to the pin order of its instances.
+		* Removed the code 9/1/2023.  But---Not sure if any code depends
+		* on shorted pins being adjacent.
 		*/
-	       if (firstport[ob->node]->next != ob) {
-	          lob->next = ob->next;
-	          ob->next = firstport[ob->node]->next;
-		  firstport[ob->node]->next = ob;
-	          ob = lob;
-	       }
-	       lob = ob;
 	       continue;
 	    }
 	    else {
@@ -1256,7 +1251,6 @@ int UniquePins(char *name, int filenum)
 	 }
       }
       portcount++;
-      lob = ob;
    }
 
    if (needscleanup)
diff --git a/base/netcmp.c b/base/netcmp.c
index 0bfaec6..d05f8a8 100644
--- a/base/netcmp.c
+++ b/base/netcmp.c
@@ -7778,7 +7778,7 @@ int MatchPins(struct nlist *tc1, struct nlist *tc2, int dolist)
 	       else if ((ob1->node != -1) && (ob2->node != -1)) {
 		  /* Check for the case of ports on both sides being shorted
 		   * together.  That means that the nodes on both sides connect
-		   * only to ports, that they connec to the same number of ports,
+		   * only to ports, that they connect to the same number of ports,
 		   * and that each port pair has a matching name.
 		   */
 		  int onlyports = 1;
diff --git a/base/verilog.c b/base/verilog.c
index 9ba310c..f74d7ff 100644
--- a/base/verilog.c
+++ b/base/verilog.c
@@ -1898,12 +1898,21 @@ skip_endmodule:
 
 			if (i != -1)
 			    snprintf(nodename, MAX_STR_LEN, "%s[%d]", noderoot, i);
-			else
+			else if (lhs != NULL)
 			    strncpy(nodename, lhs->name, MAX_STR_LEN - 1);
+			else {
+			    Printf("Error:  Improper node name \"%s\".\n", noderoot);
+			    goto skip_endmodule;
+			}
 			if (j != -1)
 			    snprintf(assignname, MAX_STR_LEN, "%s[%d]", assignroot, j);
-			else
+			else if (rhs != NULL)
 			    strncpy(assignname, rhs->name, MAX_STR_LEN - 1);
+			else {
+			    Printf("Error:  Improper assignment name \"%s\".\n",
+					assignroot);
+			    goto skip_endmodule;
+			}
 
 			join(nodename, assignname);