diff --git a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/ast_node_ref.rs b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/ast_node_ref.rs
index 667b8f6363..ad4b03e9af 100644
--- a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/ast_node_ref.rs
+++ b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/ast_node_ref.rs
@@ -31,17 +31,13 @@ use ruff_db::parsed::ParsedModule;
 /// This means that changes to expressions in other scopes don't invalidate the expression's id, giving
 /// us some form of scope-stable identity for expressions. Only queries accessing the node field
 /// run on every AST change. All other queries only run when the expression's identity changes.
-///
-/// The one exception to this is if it is known that all queries tacking the tracked struct
-/// as argument or returning it as part of their result are known to access the node field.
-/// Marking the field tracked is then unnecessary.
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct AstNodeRef<T> {
     /// Owned reference to the node's [`ParsedModule`].
     ///
     /// The node's reference is guaranteed to remain valid as long as it's enclosing
     /// [`ParsedModule`] is alive.
-    _parsed: ParsedModule,
+    parsed: ParsedModule,
 
     /// Pointer to the referenced node.
     node: std::ptr::NonNull<T>,
@@ -59,7 +55,7 @@ impl<T> AstNodeRef<T> {
     /// the invariant `node belongs to parsed` is upheld.
     pub(super) unsafe fn new(parsed: ParsedModule, node: &T) -> Self {
         Self {
-            _parsed: parsed,
+            parsed,
             node: std::ptr::NonNull::from(node),
         }
     }
@@ -89,17 +85,44 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-impl<T> PartialEq for AstNodeRef<T> {
+impl<T> PartialEq for AstNodeRef<T>
+where
+    T: PartialEq,
+{
     fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
-        self.node.eq(&other.node)
+        if self.parsed == other.parsed {
+            // Comparing the pointer addresses is sufficient to determine equality
+            // if the parsed are the same.
+            self.node.eq(&other.node)
+        } else {
+            // Otherwise perform a deep comparison.
+            self.node().eq(other.node())
+        }
     }
 }
 
-impl<T> Eq for AstNodeRef<T> {}
+impl<T> Eq for AstNodeRef<T> where T: Eq {}
 
-impl<T> Hash for AstNodeRef<T> {
+impl<T> Hash for AstNodeRef<T>
+where
+    T: Hash,
+{
     fn hash<H: std::hash::Hasher>(&self, state: &mut H) {
-        self.node.hash(state);
+        self.node().hash(state);
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(unsafe_code)]
+unsafe impl<T> salsa::Update for AstNodeRef<T> {
+    unsafe fn maybe_update(old_pointer: *mut Self, new_value: Self) -> bool {
+        let old_ref = &mut (*old_pointer);
+
+        if old_ref.parsed == new_value.parsed && old_ref.node.eq(&new_value.node) {
+            false
+        } else {
+            *old_ref = new_value;
+            true
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -133,7 +156,7 @@ mod tests {
         let stmt_cloned = &cloned.syntax().body[0];
         let cloned_node = unsafe { AstNodeRef::new(cloned.clone(), stmt_cloned) };
 
-        assert_ne!(node1, cloned_node);
+        assert_eq!(node1, cloned_node);
 
         let other_raw = parse_unchecked_source("2 + 2", PySourceType::Python);
         let other = ParsedModule::new(other_raw);
diff --git a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/semantic_index/definition.rs b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/semantic_index/definition.rs
index 830ad0ffd4..adc1367560 100644
--- a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/semantic_index/definition.rs
+++ b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/semantic_index/definition.rs
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ impl DefinitionCategory {
 /// [`DefinitionKind`] fields in salsa tracked structs should be tracked (attributed with `#[tracked]`)
 /// because the kind is a thin wrapper around [`AstNodeRef`]. See the [`AstNodeRef`] documentation
 /// for an in-depth explanation of why this is necessary.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum DefinitionKind<'db> {
     Import(AstNodeRef<ast::Alias>),
     ImportFrom(ImportFromDefinitionKind),
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ impl<'db> From<Option<Unpack<'db>>> for TargetKind<'db> {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 pub struct MatchPatternDefinitionKind {
     pattern: AstNodeRef<ast::Pattern>,
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ impl MatchPatternDefinitionKind {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ComprehensionDefinitionKind {
     iterable: AstNodeRef<ast::Expr>,
     target: AstNodeRef<ast::ExprName>,
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ impl ComprehensionDefinitionKind {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ImportFromDefinitionKind {
     node: AstNodeRef<ast::StmtImportFrom>,
     alias_index: usize,
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ impl ImportFromDefinitionKind {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct AssignmentDefinitionKind<'db> {
     target: TargetKind<'db>,
     value: AstNodeRef<ast::Expr>,
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ impl<'db> AssignmentDefinitionKind<'db> {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct WithItemDefinitionKind {
     node: AstNodeRef<ast::WithItem>,
     target: AstNodeRef<ast::ExprName>,
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ impl WithItemDefinitionKind {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ForStmtDefinitionKind<'db> {
     target: TargetKind<'db>,
     iterable: AstNodeRef<ast::Expr>,
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ impl<'db> ForStmtDefinitionKind<'db> {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Hash)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ExceptHandlerDefinitionKind {
     handler: AstNodeRef<ast::ExceptHandlerExceptHandler>,
     is_star: bool,
diff --git a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/unpack.rs b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/unpack.rs
index 05a396d4dc..ad6eac413d 100644
--- a/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/unpack.rs
+++ b/crates/red_knot_python_semantic/src/unpack.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Unpack<'db> {
     /// expression is `(a, b)`.
     #[no_eq]
     #[return_ref]
+    #[tracked]
     pub(crate) target: AstNodeRef<ast::Expr>,
 
     /// The ingredient representing the value expression of the unpacking. For example, in