diff --git a/src/in_memory_undo.c b/src/in_memory_undo.c
index bed8182e..2f291f28 100644
--- a/src/in_memory_undo.c
+++ b/src/in_memory_undo.c
@@ -286,19 +286,27 @@ void push_undo(void)
   xctx->tail_undo_ptr = xctx->head_undo_ptr <= MAX_UNDO? 0: xctx->head_undo_ptr-MAX_UNDO;
 }
 
+/* BUG: in_memory_undo does not save/restore embedded symbols, it just saves references to symbols
+ * if symbols are not found in library you get a schematic with missing symbols if you remove 
+ * symbols and do an undo (this is done in netlist operations to purge unused syms */
 
+/* redo:
+ * 0: undo (with push current state for allowing following redo) 
+ * 1: redo
+ * 2: read top data from undo stack without changing undo stack
+ */
 void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
 {
   int slot, i, c;
 
   if(xctx->no_undo)return;
-  if(redo) {
+  if(redo == 1) {
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr < xctx->head_undo_ptr) {
       xctx->cur_undo_ptr++;
     } else {
       return;
     }
-  } else {  /*redo=0 (undo) */
+  } else if(redo == 0) {  /* undo */
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr == xctx->tail_undo_ptr) return;
     if(xctx->head_undo_ptr == xctx->cur_undo_ptr) {
       push_undo();
@@ -307,6 +315,9 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
     }
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr<=0) return; /* check undo tail */
     xctx->cur_undo_ptr--;
+  } else { /* redo == 2, get data without changing undo stack */
+    if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr<=0) return; /* check undo tail */
+    xctx->cur_undo_ptr--; /* will be restored after building file name */
   }
   slot = xctx->cur_undo_ptr%MAX_UNDO;
   clear_drawing();
@@ -400,8 +411,8 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
     xctx->wire[i].node=NULL;
     my_strdup(222, &xctx->wire[i].prop_ptr, xctx->uslot[slot].wptr[i].prop_ptr);
   }
-
   link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
+  if(redo == 2) xctx->cur_undo_ptr++; /* restore undo stack pointer */
   if(set_modify_status) set_modify(1);
   xctx->prep_hash_inst=0;
   xctx->prep_hash_wires=0;
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index cf15ad19..c7e4fad2 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -1232,6 +1232,11 @@ void push_undo(void)
     #endif
 }
 
+/* redo:
+ * 0: undo (with push current state for allowing following redo) 
+ * 1: redo
+ * 2: read top data from undo stack without changing undo stack
+ */
 void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
 {
   FILE *fd;
@@ -1242,8 +1247,8 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
   FILE *diff_fd;
   #endif
 
-  if(xctx->no_undo)return;
-  if(redo) {
+  if(xctx->no_undo) return;
+  if(redo == 1) {
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr < xctx->head_undo_ptr) {
       dbg(1, "pop_undo(): redo; cur_undo_ptr=%d tail_undo_ptr=%d head_undo_ptr=%d\n",
          xctx->cur_undo_ptr, xctx->tail_undo_ptr, xctx->head_undo_ptr);
@@ -1251,7 +1256,7 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
     } else {
       return;
     }
-  } else {  /*redo=0 (undo) */
+  } else if(redo == 0) {  /* undo */
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr == xctx->tail_undo_ptr) return;
     dbg(1, "pop_undo(): undo; cur_undo_ptr=%d tail_undo_ptr=%d head_undo_ptr=%d\n",
        xctx->cur_undo_ptr, xctx->tail_undo_ptr, xctx->head_undo_ptr);
@@ -1262,6 +1267,9 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
     }
     if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr<=0) return; /* check undo tail */
     xctx->cur_undo_ptr--;
+  } else { /* redo == 2, get data without changing undo stack */
+    if(xctx->cur_undo_ptr<=0) return; /* check undo tail */
+    xctx->cur_undo_ptr--; /* will be restored after building file name */
   }
   clear_drawing();
   unselect_all();
@@ -1308,6 +1316,7 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
   }
   #endif
   read_xschem_file(fd);
+  if(redo == 2) xctx->cur_undo_ptr++; /* restore undo stack pointer */
 
   #if HAS_POPEN==1
   pclose(fd); /* 20150326 moved before load symbols */
@@ -1325,7 +1334,6 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
   xctx->prep_net_structs=0;
   xctx->prep_hi_structs=0;
   update_conn_cues(0, 0);
-
   dbg(2, "pop_undo(): returning\n");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 0636ec51..b00e1c2f 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -2410,8 +2410,15 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
   else if(argv[1][0] == 'u') {   
     if(!strcmp(argv[1],"undo"))
     {
+      int redo = 0, set_modify = 1;
       cmd_found = 1;
-      pop_undo(0, 1); /* 2nd param: set_modify_status */
+      if(argc > 2) {
+        redo = atoi(argv[2]);
+      }
+      if(argc > 3) {
+        set_modify = atoi(argv[3]);
+      }
+      pop_undo(redo, set_modify); /* 2nd param: set_modify_status */
       Tcl_ResetResult(interp);
     }
    
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 8d3a9f51..8d74d05e 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ void hier_psprint(void)  /* netlister driver */
   dbg(1,"--> %s\n", skip_dir( xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]) );
   unselect_all();
   remove_symbols(); /* ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
-  link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
-  /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
+  pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+  /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
   my_strdup(1224, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
   my_strcat(1227, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], "->netlisting");
   xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;
@@ -257,9 +257,8 @@ void global_spice_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
    int saved_hilight_nets = xctx->hilight_nets;
    unselect_all();
    remove_symbols(); /* 20161205 ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
-   link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
-   /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
-
+   pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+   /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
    my_strdup(469, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
    my_strcat(481, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], "->netlisting");
    xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;
diff --git a/src/tedax_netlist.c b/src/tedax_netlist.c
index dc46f47b..fbf32376 100644
--- a/src/tedax_netlist.c
+++ b/src/tedax_netlist.c
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ void global_tedax_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
    int saved_hilight_nets = xctx->hilight_nets;
    unselect_all();
    remove_symbols(); /* 20161205 ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
-   load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0);
-
+   pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+   /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
    my_strdup(482, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
    my_strcat(485, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], "->netlisting");
    xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;
diff --git a/src/verilog_netlist.c b/src/verilog_netlist.c
index ef0c11e9..7085365d 100644
--- a/src/verilog_netlist.c
+++ b/src/verilog_netlist.c
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ void global_verilog_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
  /* flush data structures (remove unused symbols) */
  unselect_all();
  remove_symbols();  /* removed 25122002, readded 04112003 */
- link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
- /* load_schematic(1,xctx->sch[xctx->currsch] ,0); */
+ pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+ /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
  dbg(1, "global_verilog_netlist(): sch[currsch]=%s\n", xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]);
 
  /* print top subckt port directions */
@@ -281,10 +281,8 @@ void global_verilog_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
    int saved_hilight_nets = xctx->hilight_nets;
    unselect_all();
    remove_symbols(); /* 20161205 ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
-   link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
-   /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
-  
-
+   pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+   /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
    my_strdup(487, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
    my_strcat(496, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], "->netlisting");
    xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;
diff --git a/src/vhdl_netlist.c b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
index 578a0aca..470bb72f 100644
--- a/src/vhdl_netlist.c
+++ b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
@@ -113,12 +113,10 @@ void global_vhdl_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
  /* flush data structures (remove unused symbols) */
  unselect_all();
  remove_symbols();  /* removed 25122002, readded 04112003.. this removes unused symbols */
- link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
- /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
-
+ pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+ /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
 
  /* 20071009 print top level generics if defined in symbol */
-
  str_tmp = add_ext(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], ".sym");
  if(!stat(str_tmp, &buf)) {
    load_sym_def(str_tmp, NULL );
@@ -340,9 +338,8 @@ void global_vhdl_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
    int saved_hilight_nets = xctx->hilight_nets;
    unselect_all();
    remove_symbols(); /* 20161205 ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
-   link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
-   /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
-
+   pop_undo(2, 0); /* reload data without popping undo stack, this populates embedded symbols if any */
+   /* link_symbols_to_instances(-1); */ /* done in pop_undo() */
    my_strdup(502, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
    my_strcat(509, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], "->netlisting");
    xctx->sch_path_hash[xctx->currsch+1] = 0;