diff --git a/compiler/ast/trees.nim b/compiler/ast/trees.nim
index c0e770e26e3a4..fc643ec6b0610 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/trees.nim
+++ b/compiler/ast/trees.nim
@@ -72,30 +72,33 @@ template structEquiv*(
           if not self(a[i], b[i]): return false
         result = true
 
-proc exprStructuralEquivalentLaxSym(a, b: PNode): bool =
-  structEquiv(exprStructuralEquivalentLaxSym,
+proc exprStructuralEquivalent*(a, b: PNode): bool =
+  structEquiv(exprStructuralEquivalent,
     relaxKindCheck = false,
     # don't go nuts here: same symbol as string is enough:
     symCheck = a.sym.name.id == b.sym.name.id,
     floatCheck = sameFloatIgnoreNan(a.floatVal, b.floatVal),
-    commentCheck = a.comment == b.comment,
+    commentCheck = true,
     typeCheck = true
   )
 
-proc exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSym(a, b: PNode): bool =
+proc exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSym*(a, b: PNode): bool =
   structEquiv(exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSym,
     relaxKindCheck = false,
     symCheck = a.sym == b.sym,
     floatCheck = sameFloatIgnoreNan(a.floatVal, b.floatVal),
-    commentCheck = a.comment == b.comment,
+    commentCheck = true,
     typeCheck = true
   )
 
-proc exprStructuralEquivalent*(a, b: PNode; strictSymEquality=false): bool =
-  if strictSymEquality:
-    exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSym(a, b)
-  else:
-    exprStructuralEquivalentLaxSym(a, b)
+proc exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSymAndComm*(a, b: PNode): bool =
+  structEquiv(exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSymAndComm,
+    relaxKindCheck = false,
+    symCheck = a.sym == b.sym,
+    floatCheck = sameFloatIgnoreNan(a.floatVal, b.floatVal),
+    commentCheck = a.comment == b.comment,
+    typeCheck = true
+  )
 
 proc getMagic*(op: PNode): TMagic =
   if op == nil: return mNone
diff --git a/compiler/ic/replayer.nim b/compiler/ic/replayer.nim
index 94ef7d6ee2609..2b9b4976ff8eb 100644
--- a/compiler/ic/replayer.nim
+++ b/compiler/ic/replayer.nim
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ proc replayStateChanges*(module: PSym; g: ModuleGraph) =
         else:
           block search:
             for existing in g.cacheSeqs[destKey]:
-              if exprStructuralEquivalent(existing, val, strictSymEquality = true):
+              if exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSymAndComm(existing, val):
                 # comment equality DOES matter here
                 break search
             g.cacheSeqs[destKey].add val
diff --git a/compiler/sem/semfold.nim b/compiler/sem/semfold.nim
index 78196c7d369bb..7936b6120f68d 100644
--- a/compiler/sem/semfold.nim
+++ b/compiler/sem/semfold.nim
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ proc evalOp*(m: TMagic, n, a, b, c: PNode; idgen: IdGenerator; g: ModuleGraph):
     result.typ = n.typ
   of mEqProc:
     result = newIntNodeT(toInt128(ord(
-        exprStructuralEquivalent(a, b, strictSymEquality=true))), n, idgen, g)
+        exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSym(a, b))), n, idgen, g)
         # comment equality doesn't matter here (getConstExpr doesn't return AST with comments)
   else: discard
 
diff --git a/compiler/vm/vm.nim b/compiler/vm/vm.nim
index 4f1d28f94cc8c..4a908ff883fb7 100644
--- a/compiler/vm/vm.nim
+++ b/compiler/vm/vm.nim
@@ -1550,8 +1550,7 @@ proc rawExecute(c: var TCtx, t: var VmThread, pc: var int): YieldReason =
     of opcEqNimNode:
       decodeBC(rkInt)
       regs[ra].intVal =
-        ord(exprStructuralEquivalent(regs[rb].nimNode, regs[rc].nimNode,
-                                     strictSymEquality=true))
+        ord(exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSymAndComm(regs[rb].nimNode, regs[rc].nimNode))
         # comment equality DOES matter here
     of opcSameNodeType:
       decodeBC(rkInt)
@@ -2835,7 +2834,7 @@ proc rawExecute(c: var TCtx, t: var VmThread, pc: var int): YieldReason =
       else:
         block search:
           for existing in g.cacheSeqs[destKey]:
-            if exprStructuralEquivalent(existing, val, strictSymEquality=true):
+            if exprStructuralEquivalentStrictSymAndComm(existing, val):
               # comment equality DOES matter here
               break search
           g.cacheSeqs[destKey].add val