diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index 0d856490..2a8282a8 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -926,7 +926,7 @@ int callback(int event, int mx, int my, KeySym key,
    }
    if(key=='k' && state==Mod1Mask)        /* select whole net (all attached wires/labels/pins) */
    {
-     select_connected_nets();
+     select_hilight_net();
      break;
    }
    if(key=='k' && state==ControlMask)                           /* unhilight net */
diff --git a/src/hilight.c b/src/hilight.c
index 6a4fb346..cf2c4025 100644
--- a/src/hilight.c
+++ b/src/hilight.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ void hilight_net_pin_mismatches(void)
     for(i=0;i<npin;i++) {
       my_strdup(24, &labname,get_tok_value(rct[i].prop_ptr,"name",0));
       my_strdup(25, &lab, expandlabel(labname, &mult));
-      my_strdup(26, &netname, net_name(j,i,&mult, 0));
+      my_strdup(26, &netname, net_name(j,i,&mult, 0, 1));
       dbg(1, "delete_hilight_net(): i=%d labname=%s explabname = %s  net = %s\n", i, labname, lab, netname);
       if(netname && strcmp(lab, netname)) {
         dbg(1, "delete_hilight_net(): hilight: %s\n", netname);
@@ -692,11 +692,11 @@ void drill_hilight(void)
       npin = symbol->rects[PINLAYER];
       rct=symbol->rect[PINLAYER];
       for(j=0; j<npin;j++) {
-        my_strdup(143, &netname, net_name(i, j, &mult, 1));
+        my_strdup(143, &netname, net_name(i, j, &mult, 1, 1));
         propagate_str=get_tok_value(rct[j].prop_ptr, "propagate_to", 0);
         if(propagate_str[0] && (entry=bus_hilight_lookup(netname, 0, XLOOKUP))) {
           propagate = atoi(propagate_str);
-          my_strdup(144, &propagated_net, net_name(i, propagate, &mult, 1)); /* get net to propagate hilight to...*/
+          my_strdup(144, &propagated_net, net_name(i, propagate, &mult, 1, 1)); /* get net to propagate hilight to...*/
           propag_entry = bus_hilight_lookup(propagated_net, entry->value, XINSERT); /* add net to highlight list */
           if(!propag_entry) {
             found=1; /* keep looping until no more nets are found. */
@@ -937,6 +937,56 @@ void redraw_hilights(void)
   if(!big) bbox(END , 0.0 , 0.0 , 0.0 , 0.0);
 }
 
+
+void select_hilight_net(void)
+{
+ char *type=NULL;
+ int i;
+ struct hilight_hashentry *entry;
+ int hilight_connected_inst;
+
+ if(!hilight_nets) return;
+ prepare_netlist_structs(0);
+ for(i=0;i<xctx->wires;i++) {
+   if( (entry = bus_hilight_lookup(xctx->wire[i].node, 0, XLOOKUP)) ) {
+      xctx->wire[i].sel = SELECTED;
+   }
+ }
+ for(i=0;i<xctx->instances;i++) {
+
+  type = (xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->type;
+  hilight_connected_inst = !strcmp(get_tok_value((xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->prop_ptr, "highlight", 0), "true") ||
+                           !strcmp(get_tok_value(xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr, "highlight", 0), "true");
+  if( xctx->inst[i].flags & 4) {
+    dbg(1, "draw_hilight_net(): instance %d flags &4 true\n", i);
+     xctx->inst[i].sel = SELECTED;
+  }
+  else if(hilight_connected_inst) {
+    int rects, j;
+    dbg(2, "draw_hilight_net(): hilight_connected_inst inst=%d, node=%s\n", i, xctx->inst[i].node[0]);
+    if( (rects = (xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rects[PINLAYER]) > 0 ) {
+      for(j=0;j<rects;j++) {
+        if( xctx->inst[i].node && xctx->inst[i].node[j]) {
+          entry=bus_hilight_lookup(xctx->inst[i].node[j], 0, XLOOKUP);
+          if(entry) {
+            xctx->inst[i].sel = SELECTED;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } else if( type && IS_LABEL_SH_OR_PIN(type) ) {
+   entry=bus_hilight_lookup( get_tok_value(xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr,"lab",0) , 0, XLOOKUP);
+   if(entry) xctx->inst[i].sel = SELECTED;
+  }
+ }
+ need_rebuild_selected_array = 1;
+ rebuild_selected_array();
+ redraw_hilights();
+ 
+}
+
+
 void draw_hilight_net(int on_window)
 {
  int save_draw;
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 5efda299..7e14f5a0 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
    no_of_pins= (xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rects[PINLAYER];
    for(p=0;p<no_of_pins;p++) {
      if(!strcmp( get_tok_value((xctx->inst[i].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][p].prop_ptr,"name",0), argv[3])) {
-       str_ptr =  net_name(i,p,&mult, 0);
+       str_ptr =  net_name(i,p,&mult, 0, 1);
        break;
      }
    } /* /20171029 */
@@ -1418,9 +1418,9 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
    Tcl_AppendResult(interp, list_tokens(argv[2], atoi(argv[3])), NULL);
  }
 
- else if(!strcmp(argv[1],"select_connected_nets"))
+ else if(!strcmp(argv[1],"select_hilight_net"))
  {
-   select_connected_nets();
+   select_hilight_net();
  }
  else if(!strcmp(argv[1],"unhilight"))
  {
diff --git a/src/select.c b/src/select.c
index 5428baef..038e606e 100644
--- a/src/select.c
+++ b/src/select.c
@@ -800,40 +800,6 @@ void select_arc(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast)
   need_rebuild_selected_array=1;
 }
 
-void select_connected_nets(void)
-{
-  int i, n;
-  char *str = NULL;
-  prepare_netlist_structs(0);
-  rebuild_selected_array();
-  for(i=0;i<lastselected;i++)
-  {
-    n = selectedgroup[i].n;
-    switch(selectedgroup[i].type)
-    {
-     case WIRE:
-      if(xctx->wire[n].sel==SELECTED) {
-        my_strdup(62, &str ,get_tok_value(xctx->wire[n].prop_ptr, "lab",0));
-        if(str && str[0]) {
-          search("lab", str,1, 1, NOW);
-        }
-      }
-      break;
-     case ELEMENT:
-      if(xctx->inst[n].sel==SELECTED) {
-        my_strdup(63, &str, get_tok_value(xctx->inst[n].prop_ptr, "lab",0));
-        if(str && str[0]) {
-          search("lab", str,1, 1, NOW);
-        }
-      }
-      break;
-     default:
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  my_free(943, &str);
-}
-
 void select_polygon(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast )
 {
   char str[1024];       /* overflow safe */
diff --git a/src/token.c b/src/token.c
index 97e37e77..73ceae7c 100644
--- a/src/token.c
+++ b/src/token.c
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ void print_vhdl_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
   for(i=0;i<no_of_pins;i++)
   {
     if(strcmp(get_tok_value((xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr,"vhdl_ignore",0), "true")) {
-      if( (str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0)) )
+      if( (str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1)) )
       {
         if(tmp) fprintf(fd, " ,\n");
         fprintf(fd, "   %s => %s",
@@ -1568,7 +1568,7 @@ void print_spice_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
         {
           char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
           if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop, "spice_ignore", 0), "true")) {
-            str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+            str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
 
             tmp = strlen(str_ptr) +100 ; /* always make room for some extra chars 
                                           * so 1-char writes to result do not need reallocs */
@@ -1582,7 +1582,7 @@ void print_spice_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
           char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
           if (!strcmp( get_tok_value(prop,"name",0), token+2)) {
             if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop,"spice_ignore",0), "true")) {
-              str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+              str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
 
               tmp = strlen(str_ptr) +100 ; /* always make room for some extra chars 
                                             * so 1-char writes to result do not need reallocs */
@@ -1601,7 +1601,7 @@ void print_spice_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
           char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][pin_number].prop_ptr;
           si  = get_tok_value(prop, "spice_ignore",0);
           if(strcmp(si, "true")) {
-            str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0);
+            str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0, 1);
 
             tmp = strlen(str_ptr) +100 ; /* always make room for some extra chars 
                                           * so 1-char writes to result do not need reallocs */
@@ -1736,7 +1736,7 @@ void print_tedax_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
             get_tok_value((xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr,"pinnumber",0));
    }
    if(!get_tok_size) my_strdup(501, &pinnumber, "--UNDEF--");
-   tmp = net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+   tmp = net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
    if(tmp && strcmp(tmp, "__UNCONNECTED_PIN__")) {
      fprintf(fd, "conn %s %s %s %s %d\n",
            name,
@@ -1838,7 +1838,7 @@ void print_tedax_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
     {                                   /* and node number: m1 n1 m2 n2 .... */
      for(i=0;i<no_of_pins;i++)
      {
-       str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+       str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
        /* fprintf(errfp, "inst: %s  --> %s\n", name, str_ptr); */
        fprintf(fd, "?%d %s ", mult, str_ptr);
      }
@@ -1850,7 +1850,7 @@ void print_tedax_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
            token+2
           )
         ) {
-        str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+        str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
         fprintf(fd, "%s", str_ptr);
         break;
       }
@@ -1898,7 +1898,7 @@ void print_tedax_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
         /* @#n --> return net name attached to pin of index 'n' */
         pin_number = atoi(token+2);
         if(pin_number < no_of_pins) {
-          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0);
+          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0, 1);
           fprintf(fd, "%s", str_ptr);
         }
       }
@@ -2069,7 +2069,7 @@ void print_verilog_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
  {
    xSymbol *ptr = xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym;
    if(strcmp(get_tok_value(ptr->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr,"verilog_ignore",0), "true")) {
-     if( (str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0)) )
+     if( (str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1)) )
      {
        if(tmp) fprintf(fd,"\n");
        fprintf(fd, "  ?%d %s %s ", mult,
@@ -2089,7 +2089,7 @@ void print_verilog_element(FILE *fd, int inst)
 }
 
 
-const char *net_name(int i, int j, int *mult, int hash_prefix_unnamed_net)
+const char *net_name(int i, int j, int *mult, int hash_prefix_unnamed_net, int erc)
 {
  int tmp;
  char errstr[2048];
@@ -2129,12 +2129,14 @@ const char *net_name(int i, int j, int *mult, int hash_prefix_unnamed_net)
  {
    *mult=1;
 
-   my_snprintf(errstr, S(errstr), "Warning: unconnected pin,  Inst idx: %d, Pin idx: %d  Inst:%s\n",
-               i, j, xctx->inst[i].instname ) ;
-   statusmsg(errstr,2);
-   if(!netlist_count) {
-     xctx->inst[i].flags |=4;
-     hilight_nets=1;
+   if(erc) {
+     my_snprintf(errstr, S(errstr), "Warning: unconnected pin,  Inst idx: %d, Pin idx: %d  Inst:%s\n",
+                 i, j, xctx->inst[i].instname ) ;
+     statusmsg(errstr,2);
+     if(!netlist_count) {
+       xctx->inst[i].flags |=4;
+       hilight_nets=1;
+     }
    }
    return unconn;
  }
@@ -2252,7 +2254,7 @@ void print_vhdl_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist  primitives, 20071217 *
     {
       char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
       if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop,"vhdl_ignore",0), "true")) {
-        str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+        str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
         fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
       }
     }
@@ -2262,7 +2264,7 @@ void print_vhdl_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist  primitives, 20071217 *
      xSymbol *ptr = xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym;
      if(!strcmp( get_tok_value(ptr->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr,"name",0), token+2)) {
        if(strcmp(get_tok_value(ptr->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr,"vhdl_ignore",0), "true")) {
-         str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+         str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
          fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
        }
        break;
@@ -2275,7 +2277,7 @@ void print_vhdl_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist  primitives, 20071217 *
        if(pin_number < no_of_pins) {
          char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][pin_number].prop_ptr;
          if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop,"vhdl_ignore",0), "true")) {
-           str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0);
+           str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0, 1);
            fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
          }
        }
@@ -2425,7 +2427,7 @@ void print_verilog_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist switch level primiti
      {
        char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
        if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop, "verilog_ignore",0), "true")) {
-         str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+         str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
          fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
        }
      }
@@ -2435,7 +2437,7 @@ void print_verilog_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist switch level primiti
       char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
       if(!strcmp( get_tok_value(prop,"name",0), token+2)) {
         if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop, "verilog_ignore",0), "true")) {
-          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 1);
           fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
         }
         break;
@@ -2450,7 +2452,7 @@ void print_verilog_primitive(FILE *fd, int inst) /* netlist switch level primiti
         char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][pin_number].prop_ptr;
         vi = get_tok_value(prop,"verilog_ignore",0);
         if(strcmp(vi, "true")) {
-          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0);
+          str_ptr =  net_name(inst,pin_number, &mult, 0, 1);
           fprintf(fd, "----pin(%s) ", str_ptr);
         }
       }
@@ -2632,7 +2634,7 @@ const char *translate(int inst, const char* s)
        char *prop = (xctx->inst[inst].ptr+ xctx->sym)->rect[PINLAYER][i].prop_ptr;
        if (!strcmp( get_tok_value(prop,"name",0), token+2)) {
          if(strcmp(get_tok_value(prop,"spice_ignore",0), "true")) {
-           const char *str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0);
+           const char *str_ptr =  net_name(inst,i, &mult, 0, 0);
            tmp = strlen(str_ptr) +100 ;
            STR_ALLOC(&result, tmp + result_pos, &size);
            result_pos += my_snprintf(result + result_pos, tmp, "%s", str_ptr);
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index 5d6f8b96..123e7be4 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ extern char *escape_chars(char *dest, const char *source, int size);
 
 extern void set_inst_prop(int i);
 extern void unselect_wire(int i);
-extern void select_connected_nets(void);
+extern void select_hilight_net(void);
 extern void check_wire_storage(void);
 extern void check_text_storage(void);
 extern void check_inst_storage(void);
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ extern void select_box(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast);
 extern void select_arc(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast);
 extern void select_line(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast);
 extern void select_polygon(int c, int i, unsigned short select_mode, int fast );
-extern const char *net_name(int i, int j, int *mult, int hash_prefix_unnamed_net);
+extern const char *net_name(int i, int j, int *mult, int hash_prefix_unnamed_net, int erc);
 extern int record_global_node(int what, FILE *fp, char *node);
 extern int count_labels(char *s);
 extern int get_unnamed_node(int what, int mult, int node);
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 90f5a4df..bcd0aa16 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -3840,7 +3840,7 @@ font configure Underline-Font -underline true -size 24
     -accelerator {Ctrl+#}
    .menubar.hilight.menu add command -label {Highlight selected net/pins} -command "xschem hilight" -accelerator K
    .menubar.hilight.menu add command -label {Send selected net/pins to GAW} -command "xschem send_to_gaw" -accelerator Alt+G
-   .menubar.hilight.menu add command -label {Select connected nets / pins} -command "xschem select_connected_nets" \
+   .menubar.hilight.menu add command -label {Select hilight nets / pins} -command "xschem select_hilight_net" \
     -accelerator Alt+K
    .menubar.hilight.menu add command -label {Un-highlight all net/pins} \
         -command "xschem clear_hilights" -accelerator Shift+K