diff --git a/libisofs/ecma119_tree.c b/libisofs/ecma119_tree.c
index 10f792c..7d6fc44 100644
--- a/libisofs/ecma119_tree.c
+++ b/libisofs/ecma119_tree.c
@@ -925,10 +925,31 @@ int ecma119_node_cmp(const void *v1, const void *v2)
        ret1 = iso_file_src_cmp(n2->info.file, n2->info.file);
        return ret1;
 
-    /* >>> Create means to inquire ECMA119_SYMLINK and ECMA119_SPECIAL
-           for their original fs,dev,ino tuple  */
-    } else {
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
 
+    } else if (n1->type == ECMA119_SYMLINK) {
+       IsoSymlink *t1, *t2;
+
+       t1 = (IsoSymlink *) (n1->node);
+       t2 = (IsoSymlink *) (n2->node);
+       return (t1->fs_id < t2->fs_id ? -1 : t1->fs_id > t2->fs_id ? 1 :
+               t1->st_dev < t2->st_dev ? -1 : t1->st_dev > t2->st_dev ? 1 :
+               t1->st_ino < t2->st_ino ? -1 : t1->st_ino > t2->st_ino ? 1 :
+               t1->fs_id || t1->st_dev || t1->st_ino ? 0 : (v1 < v2 ? -1 : 1));
+
+    } else if (n1->type == ECMA119_SPECIAL) {
+       IsoSpecial *t1, *t2;
+
+       t1 = (IsoSpecial *) (n1->node);
+       t2 = (IsoSpecial *) (n2->node);
+       return (t1->fs_id < t2->fs_id ? -1 : t1->fs_id > t2->fs_id ? 1 :
+               t1->st_dev < t2->st_dev ? -1 : t1->st_dev > t2->st_dev ? 1 :
+               t1->st_ino < t2->st_ino ? -1 : t1->st_ino > t2->st_ino ? 1 :
+               t1->fs_id || t1->st_dev || t1->st_ino ? 0 : (v1 < v2 ? -1 : 1));
+
+#endif /* Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR */
+
+    } else {
        return (v1 < v2 ? -1 : 1); /* case v1 == v2 is handled above */
     }
     return 0;
diff --git a/libisofs/fs_image.c b/libisofs/fs_image.c
index d09d1e0..1a64551 100644
--- a/libisofs/fs_image.c
+++ b/libisofs/fs_image.c
@@ -2744,6 +2744,13 @@ int image_builder_create_node(IsoNodeBuilder *builder, IsoImage *image,
             }
             link->dest = strdup(dest);
             link->node.type = LIBISO_SYMLINK;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+            link->fs_id = ISO_IMAGE_FS_ID;
+            link->st_dev = info.st_dev;
+            link->st_ino = info.st_ino;
+#endif
+
             new = (IsoNode*) link;
             new->refcount = 0;
         }
@@ -2762,6 +2769,13 @@ int image_builder_create_node(IsoNodeBuilder *builder, IsoImage *image,
             }
             special->dev = info.st_rdev;
             special->node.type = LIBISO_SPECIAL;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+            special->fs_id = ISO_IMAGE_FS_ID;
+            special->st_dev = info.st_dev;
+            special->st_ino = info.st_ino;
+#endif
+
             new = (IsoNode*) special;
             new->refcount = 0;
         }
diff --git a/libisofs/libisofs.h b/libisofs/libisofs.h
index 12fb75c..74eb538 100644
--- a/libisofs/libisofs.h
+++ b/libisofs/libisofs.h
@@ -5333,7 +5333,7 @@ struct burn_source {
 /* Experiment: Ignore PX inode numbers,
                have boot image inode number counted by fs_give_ino_number()
 
-   Overridden if Libisofs_hardlink_prooF is defined.
+   <<< Overridden if Libisofs_hardlink_prooF is defined.
 */
 #define Libisofs_new_fs_image_inO yes
 
@@ -5341,18 +5341,12 @@ struct burn_source {
 
 /* Experiment: Revoke Ticket 144, use data file LBAs again.
                (will work only if not Libisofs_new_fs_image_inO)
+
+  <<< Overridden if Libisofs_hardlink_prooF is defined.
+
  #define Libisofs_ino_from_lbA yes
 */
 
-/* Experiment: Regarding (fs_id == 0 && dev_id == 0 && ino_id == 0)
-               as always unique.
-   WAS DANGEROUS: In a previous experiment iso_rbtree_insert() needed equality.
-                  Now i changed the test in there, so that identical IsoFileSrc
-                  objects are considered equal regardless of their id.
-                  STILL UNTESTED.
- 
- #define Libisofs_file_src_cmp_non_zerO yes
-*/
 
 /* Experiment: Write obsolete RR entries with Rock Ridge.
                I suspect Solaris wants to see them.
diff --git a/libisofs/node.c b/libisofs/node.c
index 9d16fc2..d30a1fc 100644
--- a/libisofs/node.c
+++ b/libisofs/node.c
@@ -1309,6 +1309,13 @@ int iso_node_new_symlink(char *name, char *dest, IsoSymlink **link)
     new->node.name = name;
     new->dest = dest;
     new->node.mode = S_IFLNK;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+    new->fs_id = 0;
+    new->st_dev = 0;
+    new->st_ino = 0;
+#endif
+
     *link = new;
     return ISO_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -1341,6 +1348,12 @@ int iso_node_new_special(char *name, mode_t mode, dev_t dev,
     new->node.mode = mode;
     new->dev = dev;
 
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+    new->fs_id = 0;
+    new->st_dev = 0;
+    new->st_ino = 0;
+#endif
+
     *special = new;
     return ISO_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -2286,7 +2299,16 @@ int iso_node_get_id(IsoNode *node, unsigned int *fs_id, dev_t *dev_id,
             goto no_id;
         }
         return 1;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+
+    /* >>> check for id tuples of  LIBISO_SYMLINK and  LIBISO_SPECIAL */;
+
+#endif
+
     }
+
+
     ret = 0;
 no_id:;
     *fs_id = 0;
@@ -2338,6 +2360,14 @@ int iso_node_set_ino(IsoNode *node, ino_t ino, int flag)
         ret = iso_stream_set_image_ino(file->stream, ino, 0);
         if (ret < 0 || ret == 1)
             return ret;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+
+    /* >>> check for id tuples of  LIBISO_SYMLINK and  LIBISO_SPECIAL :
+           if fs_id = ISO_IMAGE_FS_ID then overwite .st_ino */;
+
+#endif
+
     }
     ret = iso_node_set_ino_xinfo(node, ino, 0);
     if (ret < 0)
diff --git a/libisofs/node.h b/libisofs/node.h
index a5cd1b6..72a0dd2 100644
--- a/libisofs/node.h
+++ b/libisofs/node.h
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ struct Iso_File
      * Higher weighting files are written at the beginning of image
      */
     int sort_weight;
-    IsoStream *stream;
+    IsoStream *stream;                    /* Knows fs_id, st_dev, and st_ino */
 };
 
 struct Iso_Symlink
@@ -130,12 +130,34 @@ struct Iso_Symlink
     IsoNode node;
 
     char *dest;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+    /* If the IsoNode represents an object in an existing filesystem then
+       the following three numbers should unique identify it.
+       (0,0,0) will always be taken as unique.
+     */
+    unsigned int fs_id;
+    dev_t st_dev;
+    ino_t st_ino;
+#endif
+
 };
 
 struct Iso_Special
 {
     IsoNode node;
     dev_t dev;
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+    /* If the IsoNode represents an object in an existing filesystem then
+       the following three numbers should unique identify it.
+       (0,0,0) will always be taken as unique.
+     */
+    unsigned int fs_id;
+    dev_t st_dev;
+    ino_t st_ino;
+#endif
+
 };
 
 struct iso_dir_iter_iface
diff --git a/libisofs/stream.c b/libisofs/stream.c
index e2173fa..79935f3 100644
--- a/libisofs/stream.c
+++ b/libisofs/stream.c
@@ -742,15 +742,6 @@ int iso_stream_cmp_ino(IsoStream *s1, IsoStream *s2, int flag)
     }
     iso_stream_get_id(s1, &fs_id1, &dev_id1, &ino_id1);
     iso_stream_get_id(s2, &fs_id2, &dev_id2, &ino_id2);
-
-#ifdef Libisofs_file_src_cmp_non_zerO
-    if (fs_id1 == 0 && dev_id1 == 0 && ino_id1 == 0) {
-        return -1;
-    } else if (fs_id2 == 0 && dev_id2 == 0 && ino_id2 == 0)
-        return 1;
-    }
-#endif
-
     if (fs_id1 < fs_id2) {
         return -1;
     } else if (fs_id1 > fs_id2) {
@@ -773,5 +764,12 @@ int iso_stream_cmp_ino(IsoStream *s1, IsoStream *s2, int flag)
     } else if (size1 > size2) {
         return 1;
     }
+
+#ifdef Libisofs_hardlink_matcheR
+    if (fs_id1 == 0 && dev_id1 == 0 && ino_id1 == 0) {
+        return (s1 < s2 ? -1 : 1);
+    }
+#endif
+
     return 0;
 }