diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index d2016e2d..92c2effd 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -1183,20 +1183,25 @@ void get_sch_from_sym(char *filename, xSymbol *sym)
   const char *str_tmp;
 
   int web_url = 0;
+
+  /* get sch/sym name from parent schematic downloaded from web */
   if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
       strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
     web_url = 1;
   }
   if((str_tmp = get_tok_value(sym->prop_ptr, "schematic",0 ))[0]) {
     my_strdup2(1252, &sch, str_tmp);
+    /* for schematics referenced from web symbols do not build absolute path */
     if(web_url) my_strncpy(filename, sch, PATH_MAX);
     else my_strncpy(filename, abs_sym_path(sch, ""), PATH_MAX);
     my_free(1253, &sch);
   } else {
     if(tclgetboolvar("search_schematic")) {
+      /* for schematics referenced from web symbols do not build absolute path */
       if(web_url) my_strncpy(filename, add_ext(sym->name, ".sch"), PATH_MAX);
       else my_strncpy(filename, abs_sym_path(sym->name, ".sch"), PATH_MAX);
     } else {
+      /* for schematics referenced from web symbols do not build absolute path */
       if(web_url) my_strncpy(filename, add_ext(sym->name, ".sch"), PATH_MAX);
       else my_strncpy(filename, add_ext(abs_sym_path(sym->name, ""), ".sch"), PATH_MAX);
     }
@@ -1322,10 +1327,13 @@ int descend_schematic(int instnumber)
   dbg(1, "descend_schematic(): filename=%s\n", filename);
   unselect_all(1);
   remove_symbols();
+  /* we are descending from a parent schematic downloaded from the web */
   if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
       strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
     char sympath[PATH_MAX];
+    /* download item into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
     tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
+    /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
     my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
     load_schematic(1, sympath, 1);
   } else {
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index db7ac9b4..9275bc62 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -2161,26 +2161,40 @@ void load_schematic(int load_symbols, const char *fname, int reset_undo) /* 2015
   if(fname && fname[0]) {
     my_strncpy(filename, fname, S(filename));
     my_strncpy(name, filename, S(name));
+    /* remote web object specified */
     if(strstr(filename , "http://") == filename ||
        strstr(filename , "https://") == filename) {
+      /* download into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
       tclvareval("download_url {", filename, "}", NULL);
+      /* build local file name of downloaded object */
       my_snprintf(name, S(name), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
+      /* build current_dirname by stripping off last filename from url */
       my_snprintf(msg, S(msg), "regsub {/\\.$} [get_directory {%s}] {}", filename);
       my_strncpy(xctx->current_dirname,  tcleval(msg), S(xctx->current_dirname));
+      /* local file name */
       my_strncpy(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], name, S(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
+      /* local relative reference */
       my_strncpy(xctx->current_name, rel_sym_path(name), S(xctx->current_name));
-    } else if(/* xctx->currsch > 0 && */ (strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
+
+    /* local filename specified but coming (push, pop) from web object ... */
+    } else if((strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
                strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname)) {
+      /* ... but not local file from web download --> reset current_dirname */
       if(strstr(filename, "/tmp/xschem_web") != filename) {
         my_snprintf(msg, S(msg), "regsub {/\\.$} [get_directory {%s}] {}", filename);
         my_strncpy(xctx->current_dirname,  tcleval(msg), S(xctx->current_dirname));
       }
+      /* local file name */
       my_strncpy(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], filename, S(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
+      /* local relative reference */
       my_strncpy(xctx->current_name, rel_sym_path(filename), S(xctx->current_name));
+    /* local file specified and not coming from web url */
     } else {
       my_snprintf(msg, S(msg), "regsub {/\\.$} [get_directory {%s}] {}", filename);
       my_strncpy(xctx->current_dirname,  tcleval(msg), S(xctx->current_dirname));
+      /* local file name */
       my_strncpy(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], filename, S(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]));
+      /* local relative reference */
       my_strncpy(xctx->current_name, rel_sym_path(filename), S(xctx->current_name));
     }
     /* if name is /some/path/.  remove /. at end */
@@ -3677,10 +3691,12 @@ void descend_symbol(void)
     remove_symbols(); /* must follow save (if) embedded */
     dbg(1, "name=%s, sympath=%s\n", name, sympath);
 
-    if( stat(sympath, &buf) && /* file does not exists */
+    if( stat(sympath, &buf) && /* file does not exists ... */
+        /* ... and we are in a schematic downloaded from web ... */
         (strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
          strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname)) {
-      my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/%s", tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(name, 0));
+      /* symbols have already been downloaded while loading parent schematic: set local file path */
+      my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s", tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(name, 0));
       load_schematic(1, sympath, 1);
     } else {
       load_schematic(1, sympath, 1);
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 7eb116cf..a46976a9 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -4433,6 +4433,7 @@ proc get_directory {f} {
   return $r
 }
 
+# fetch a remote url into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web
 proc download_url {url} {
   global XSCHEM_TMP_DIR download_url_helper
   if {![file exists ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web]} { 
@@ -4443,19 +4444,24 @@ proc download_url {url} {
   return $r
 }
 
+# use some heuristic to find a sub sch/sym reference in the web repository.
 proc try_download_url {dirname sch_or_sym} {
   set url $dirname/$sch_or_sym
   # puts "try_download_url: dirname=$dirname, sch_or_sym=$sch_or_sym"
   set r [download_url $url]
   if { $r!=0} {
+    # count # of directories in sch/sym reference
     set nitems [regexp -all {/+} $sch_or_sym]
     # puts "try_download_url: dirname=$dirname, sch_or_sym=$sch_or_sym, nitems=$nitems"
     while { $nitems > 0} {
+      # remove one path component from dirname and try to download URL
       set dirname [get_directory $dirname]
       incr nitems -1
+      set url $dirname/$sch_or_sym
+      set r [download_url $url]
+      # done if url found
+      if { $r == 0 } { break } 
     }
-    set url $dirname/$sch_or_sym
-    set r [download_url $url]
   }
 }