diff --git a/source/blender/editors/include/UI_interface.h b/source/blender/editors/include/UI_interface.h
index 94453ef5fac..1b817d06564 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/include/UI_interface.h
+++ b/source/blender/editors/include/UI_interface.h
@@ -508,6 +508,10 @@ typedef void (*uiButHandleNFunc)(struct bContext *C, void *argN, void *arg2);
 typedef void (*uiButHandleHoldFunc)(struct bContext *C, struct ARegion *butregion, uiBut *but);
 typedef int (*uiButCompleteFunc)(struct bContext *C, char *str, void *arg);
 
+/** Function to compare the identity of two buttons over redraws, to check if they represent the
+ * same data, and thus should be considered the same button over redraws. */
+typedef bool (*uiButIdentityCompareFunc)(const uiBut *a, const uiBut *b);
+
 /* Search types. */
 typedef struct ARegion *(*uiButSearchCreateFn)(struct bContext *C,
                                                struct ARegion *butregion,
@@ -1649,6 +1653,18 @@ eAutoPropButsReturn uiDefAutoButsRNA(uiLayout *layout,
                                      eButLabelAlign label_align,
                                      bool compact);
 
+/**
+ * Callback to compare the identity of two buttons, used to identify buttons over redraws. If the
+ * callback returns true, the given buttons are considered to be matching and relevant state is
+ * preserved (copied from the old to the new button). If it returns false, it's considered
+ * non-matching and no further checks are done.
+ *
+ * If this is set, it is always executed instead of the default comparisons. However it is only
+ * executed for buttons that have the same type and the same callback. So callbacks can assume the
+ * button types match.
+ */
+void UI_but_func_identity_compare_set(uiBut *but, uiButIdentityCompareFunc cmp_fn);
+
 /**
  * Public function exported for functions that use #UI_BTYPE_SEARCH_MENU.
  *
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.cc b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.cc
index 9310ede31fa..b7098c26bcd 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.cc
@@ -725,6 +725,19 @@ bool ui_but_rna_equals_ex(const uiBut *but,
 /* NOTE: if `but->poin` is allocated memory for every `uiDefBut*`, things fail. */
 static bool ui_but_equals_old(const uiBut *but, const uiBut *oldbut)
 {
+  if (but->identity_cmp_func) {
+    /* If the buttons have own identity comparator callbacks (and they match), use this to
+     * determine equality. */
+    if (but->identity_cmp_func && (but->type == oldbut->type) &&
+        (but->identity_cmp_func == oldbut->identity_cmp_func)) {
+      /* Test if the comparison is symmetrical (if a == b then b == a), may help catch some issues.
+       */
+      BLI_assert(but->identity_cmp_func(but, oldbut) == but->identity_cmp_func(oldbut, but));
+
+      return but->identity_cmp_func(but, oldbut);
+    }
+  }
+
   /* various properties are being compared here, hopefully sufficient
    * to catch all cases, but it is simple to add more checks later */
   if (but->retval != oldbut->retval) {
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_intern.h b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_intern.h
index 05acdac3597..c09ff68bbca 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_intern.h
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_intern.h
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ struct uiBut {
 
   uchar col[4];
 
+  /** See \ref UI_but_func_identity_compare_set(). */
+  uiButIdentityCompareFunc identity_cmp_func;
+
   uiButHandleFunc func;
   void *func_arg1;
   void *func_arg2;
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_utils.cc b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_utils.cc
index c59863f462a..993ccdf92f7 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_utils.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_utils.cc
@@ -452,6 +452,11 @@ eAutoPropButsReturn uiDefAutoButsRNA(uiLayout *layout,
   return return_info;
 }
 
+void UI_but_func_identity_compare_set(uiBut *but, uiButIdentityCompareFunc cmp_fn)
+{
+  but->identity_cmp_func = cmp_fn;
+}
+
 /* *** RNA collection search menu *** */
 
 struct CollItemSearch {