diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readblenentry.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readblenentry.cc
index fcc30bdce79..0a28f2f5316 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readblenentry.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readblenentry.cc
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ LinkNode *BLO_blendhandle_get_datablock_info(BlendHandle *bh,
   BHead *bhead;
   int tot = 0;
 
-  const int sdna_nr_preview_image = DNA_struct_find(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage");
+  const int sdna_nr_preview_image = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage");
 
   for (bhead = blo_bhead_first(fd); bhead; bhead = blo_bhead_next(fd, bhead)) {
     if (bhead->code == BLO_CODE_ENDB) {
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ PreviewImage *BLO_blendhandle_get_preview_for_id(BlendHandle *bh,
 {
   FileData *fd = (FileData *)bh;
   bool looking = false;
-  const int sdna_preview_image = DNA_struct_find(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage");
+  const int sdna_preview_image = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage");
 
   for (BHead *bhead = blo_bhead_first(fd); bhead; bhead = blo_bhead_next(fd, bhead)) {
     if (bhead->code == BLO_CODE_DATA) {
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ LinkNode *BLO_blendhandle_get_previews(BlendHandle *bh, int ofblocktype, int *r_
     }
     else if (bhead->code == BLO_CODE_DATA) {
       if (looking) {
-        if (bhead->SDNAnr == DNA_struct_find(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage")) {
+        if (bhead->SDNAnr == DNA_struct_find_without_alias(fd->filesdna, "PreviewImage")) {
           prv = static_cast<PreviewImage *>(BLO_library_read_struct(fd, bhead, "PreviewImage"));
 
           if (prv) {
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.cc
index 78fbf8bf0e9..52569a0e92f 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.cc
@@ -995,10 +995,10 @@ static bool read_file_dna(FileData *fd, const char **r_error_message)
         fd->reconstruct_info = DNA_reconstruct_info_create(
             fd->filesdna, fd->memsdna, fd->compflags);
         /* used to retrieve ID names from (bhead+1) */
-        fd->id_name_offset = DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name(
+        fd->id_name_offset = DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_without_alias(
             fd->filesdna, "ID", "char", "name[]");
         BLI_assert(fd->id_name_offset != -1);
-        fd->id_asset_data_offset = DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name(
+        fd->id_asset_data_offset = DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_without_alias(
             fd->filesdna, "ID", "AssetMetaData", "*asset_data");
 
         return true;
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_260.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_260.cc
index a5ca615c98d..cbdce6ae685 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_260.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_260.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 /* allow readfile to use deprecated functionality */
 #define DNA_DEPRECATED_ALLOW
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_anim_types.h"
 #include "DNA_brush_types.h"
 #include "DNA_camera_types.h"
@@ -36,6 +39,8 @@
 #include "DNA_view3d_types.h"
 #include "DNA_world_types.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "MEM_guardedalloc.h"
 
 #include "BLI_blenlib.h"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_270.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_270.cc
index 3bf4bd57bcb..8c1c6d17bc3 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_270.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_270.cc
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 /* allow readfile to use deprecated functionality */
 #define DNA_DEPRECATED_ALLOW
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_anim_types.h"
 #include "DNA_armature_types.h"
 #include "DNA_brush_types.h"
@@ -41,6 +44,8 @@
 
 #include "DNA_genfile.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "BKE_anim_data.h"
 #include "BKE_animsys.h"
 #include "BKE_colortools.h"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.cc
index ad51f9ecfc3..185d5b3ed20 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
 #include "BLI_string.h"
 #include "BLI_utildefines.h"
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_defaults.h"
 
 #include "DNA_anim_types.h"
@@ -54,6 +57,8 @@
 #include "DNA_workspace_types.h"
 #include "DNA_world_types.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "BKE_animsys.h"
 #include "BKE_blender.h"
 #include "BKE_brush.hh"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_290.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_290.cc
index 061ab8e7b5f..537888a7bdd 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_290.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_290.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 #include "BLI_string.h"
 #include "BLI_utildefines.h"
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_anim_types.h"
 #include "DNA_armature_types.h"
 #include "DNA_brush_types.h"
@@ -40,6 +43,8 @@
 #include "DNA_tracking_types.h"
 #include "DNA_workspace_types.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "BKE_animsys.h"
 #include "BKE_armature.h"
 #include "BKE_attribute.h"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_300.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_300.cc
index 2a926c184ed..5824cb74fb1 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_300.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_300.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 #include "BLI_string_utils.h"
 #include "BLI_utildefines.h"
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_anim_types.h"
 #include "DNA_armature_types.h"
 #include "DNA_brush_types.h"
@@ -47,6 +50,8 @@
 #include "DNA_tracking_types.h"
 #include "DNA_workspace_types.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "BKE_action.h"
 #include "BKE_anim_data.h"
 #include "BKE_animsys.h"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_400.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_400.cc
index c39367bcb64..86d678fb9fa 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_400.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_400.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 
 #include "CLG_log.h"
 
+/* Define macros in `DNA_genfile.h`. */
+#define DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "DNA_brush_types.h"
 #include "DNA_camera_types.h"
 #include "DNA_light_types.h"
@@ -25,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "DNA_genfile.h"
 #include "DNA_particle_types.h"
 
+#undef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+
 #include "BLI_assert.h"
 #include "BLI_listbase.h"
 #include "BLI_map.hh"
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/writefile.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/writefile.cc
index 39efc4128e2..d332d3eab8d 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/writefile.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/writefile.cc
@@ -1745,7 +1745,8 @@ void blo_write_id_struct(BlendWriter *writer, int struct_id, const void *id_addr
 
 int BLO_get_struct_id_by_name(BlendWriter *writer, const char *struct_name)
 {
-  int struct_id = DNA_struct_find(writer->wd->sdna, struct_name);
+  /* TODO(@ideasman42): use the "alias" version. */
+  int struct_id = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(writer->wd->sdna, struct_name);
   return struct_id;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_genfile.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_genfile.h
index 802131555e4..3276be5ab0f 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_genfile.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_genfile.h
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ void DNA_reconstruct_info_free(struct DNA_ReconstructInfo *reconstruct_info);
 /**
  * Returns the index of the struct info for the struct with the specified name.
  */
-int DNA_struct_find_ex(const struct SDNA *sdna, const char *str, unsigned int *index_last);
-int DNA_struct_find(const struct SDNA *sdna, const char *str);
+int DNA_struct_find_without_alias_ex(const struct SDNA *sdna,
+                                     const char *str,
+                                     unsigned int *index_last);
+int DNA_struct_find_without_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna, const char *str);
 /**
  * Does endian swapping on the fields of a struct value.
  *
@@ -128,10 +130,10 @@ void *DNA_struct_reconstruct(const struct DNA_ReconstructInfo *reconstruct_info,
  * Returns the offset of the field with the specified name and type within the specified
  * struct type in #SDNA, -1 on failure.
  */
-int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name(const struct SDNA *sdna,
-                                     const char *stype,
-                                     const char *vartype,
-                                     const char *name);
+int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_without_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna,
+                                                   const char *stype,
+                                                   const char *vartype,
+                                                   const char *name);
 int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_with_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna,
                                                 const char *stype,
                                                 const char *vartype,
@@ -146,11 +148,11 @@ int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_with_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna,
  */
 int DNA_struct_member_size(const struct SDNA *sdna, short type, short name);
 
-bool DNA_struct_exists(const struct SDNA *sdna, const char *stype);
-bool DNA_struct_member_exists(const struct SDNA *sdna,
-                              const char *stype,
-                              const char *vartype,
-                              const char *name);
+bool DNA_struct_exists_without_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna, const char *stype);
+bool DNA_struct_member_exists_without_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna,
+                                            const char *stype,
+                                            const char *vartype,
+                                            const char *name);
 
 /**
  * Returns the size in bytes of a primitive type.
@@ -200,10 +202,19 @@ bool DNA_struct_member_exists_with_alias(const struct SDNA *sdna,
                                          const char *name);
 /**
  * Separated from #DNA_sdna_alias_data_ensure because it's not needed
- * unless we want to lookup aliased struct names (#DNA_struct_alias_find and friends).
+ * unless we want to lookup aliased struct names (#DNA_struct_find_with_alias and friends).
  */
 void DNA_sdna_alias_data_ensure_structs_map(struct SDNA *sdna);
 
+/* For versioning, avoid verbosity selecting between with/without alias versions of functions. */
+#ifdef DNA_GENFILE_VERSIONING_MACROS
+#  define DNA_struct_exists(sdna, str) DNA_struct_exists_without_alias(sdna, str)
+#  define DNA_struct_member_exists(sdna, stype, vartype, name) \
+    DNA_struct_member_exists_without_alias(sdna, stype, vartype, name)
+#  define DNA_struct_find(sdna, str) DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, str)
+#  define DNA_struct_find_ex(sdna, str, n) DNA_struct_find_without_alias_ex(sdna, str)
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/intern/dna_genfile.cc b/source/blender/makesdna/intern/dna_genfile.cc
index af40caa4173..0ea22323d0d 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/intern/dna_genfile.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/intern/dna_genfile.cc
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ static int dna_struct_find_nr_ex_impl(
   return -1;
 }
 
-int DNA_struct_find_ex(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str, uint *index_last)
+int DNA_struct_find_without_alias_ex(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str, uint *index_last)
 {
   return dna_struct_find_nr_ex_impl(
       /* Expand SDNA. */
@@ -276,10 +276,10 @@ int DNA_struct_find_with_alias_ex(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str, uint *index
       index_last);
 }
 
-int DNA_struct_find(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str)
+int DNA_struct_find_without_alias(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str)
 {
   uint index_last_dummy = UINT_MAX;
-  return DNA_struct_find_ex(sdna, str, &index_last_dummy);
+  return DNA_struct_find_without_alias_ex(sdna, str, &index_last_dummy);
 }
 
 int DNA_struct_find_with_alias(const SDNA *sdna, const char *str)
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ static bool init_structDNA(SDNA *sdna, bool do_endian_swap, const char **r_error
 
   /* Calculate 'sdna->pointer_size' */
   {
-    const int nr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, "ListBase");
+    const int nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, "ListBase");
 
     /* should never happen, only with corrupt file for example */
     if (UNLIKELY(nr == -1)) {
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ static void set_compare_flags_for_struct(const SDNA *oldsdna,
   SDNA_Struct *old_struct = oldsdna->structs[old_struct_index];
   const char *struct_name = oldsdna->types[old_struct->type];
 
-  const int new_struct_index = DNA_struct_find(newsdna, struct_name);
+  const int new_struct_index = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(newsdna, struct_name);
   if (new_struct_index == -1) {
     /* Didn't find a matching new struct, so it has been removed. */
     compare_flags[old_struct_index] = SDNA_CMP_REMOVED;
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ static void set_compare_flags_for_struct(const SDNA *oldsdna,
       }
     }
     else {
-      const int old_member_struct_index = DNA_struct_find(oldsdna, old_type_name);
+      const int old_member_struct_index = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(oldsdna, old_type_name);
       if (old_member_struct_index >= 0) {
         set_compare_flags_for_struct(oldsdna, newsdna, compare_flags, old_member_struct_index);
         if (compare_flags[old_member_struct_index] != SDNA_CMP_EQUAL) {
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ static eStructMemberCategory get_struct_member_category(const SDNA *sdna,
     return STRUCT_MEMBER_CATEGORY_POINTER;
   }
   const char *member_type_name = sdna->types[member->type];
-  if (DNA_struct_exists(sdna, member_type_name)) {
+  if (DNA_struct_exists_without_alias(sdna, member_type_name)) {
     return STRUCT_MEMBER_CATEGORY_STRUCT;
   }
   return STRUCT_MEMBER_CATEGORY_PRIMITIVE;
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ void DNA_struct_switch_endian(const SDNA *sdna, int struct_nr, char *data)
     switch (member_category) {
       case STRUCT_MEMBER_CATEGORY_STRUCT: {
         const int substruct_size = sdna->types_size[member->type];
-        const int substruct_nr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, member_type_name);
+        const int substruct_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, member_type_name);
         BLI_assert(substruct_nr != -1);
         for (int a = 0; a < member_array_length; a++) {
           DNA_struct_switch_endian(sdna, substruct_nr, member_data + a * substruct_size);
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@ void *DNA_struct_reconstruct(const DNA_ReconstructInfo *reconstruct_info,
 
   const SDNA_Struct *old_struct = oldsdna->structs[old_struct_nr];
   const char *type_name = oldsdna->types[old_struct->type];
-  const int new_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find(newsdna, type_name);
+  const int new_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(newsdna, type_name);
 
   if (new_struct_nr == -1) {
     return nullptr;
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ static void init_reconstruct_step_for_member(const SDNA *oldsdna,
   switch (new_category) {
     case STRUCT_MEMBER_CATEGORY_STRUCT: {
       if (STREQ(new_type_name, old_type_name)) {
-        const int old_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find(oldsdna, old_type_name);
+        const int old_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(oldsdna, old_type_name);
         BLI_assert(old_struct_nr != -1);
         enum eSDNA_StructCompare compare_flag = eSDNA_StructCompare(compare_flags[old_struct_nr]);
         BLI_assert(compare_flag != SDNA_CMP_REMOVED);
@@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@ static void init_reconstruct_step_for_member(const SDNA *oldsdna,
           r_step->data.memcpy.size = newsdna->types_size[new_member->type] * shared_array_length;
         }
         else {
-          const int new_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find(newsdna, new_type_name);
+          const int new_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(newsdna, new_type_name);
           BLI_assert(new_struct_nr != -1);
 
           /* The old and new members are different, use recursion to reconstruct the
@@ -1563,7 +1563,7 @@ DNA_ReconstructInfo *DNA_reconstruct_info_create(const SDNA *oldsdna,
   for (int new_struct_nr = 0; new_struct_nr < newsdna->structs_len; new_struct_nr++) {
     const SDNA_Struct *new_struct = newsdna->structs[new_struct_nr];
     const char *new_struct_name = newsdna->types[new_struct->type];
-    const int old_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find(oldsdna, new_struct_name);
+    const int old_struct_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(oldsdna, new_struct_name);
     if (old_struct_nr < 0) {
       reconstruct_info->steps[new_struct_nr] = nullptr;
       reconstruct_info->step_counts[new_struct_nr] = 0;
@@ -1605,12 +1605,12 @@ void DNA_reconstruct_info_free(DNA_ReconstructInfo *reconstruct_info)
   MEM_freeN(reconstruct_info);
 }
 
-int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name(const SDNA *sdna,
-                                     const char *stype,
-                                     const char *vartype,
-                                     const char *name)
+int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_without_alias(const SDNA *sdna,
+                                                   const char *stype,
+                                                   const char *vartype,
+                                                   const char *name)
 {
-  const int SDNAnr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, stype);
+  const int SDNAnr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, stype);
   BLI_assert(SDNAnr != -1);
   const SDNA_Struct *const spo = sdna->structs[SDNAnr];
   return elem_offset_without_alias(sdna, vartype, name, spo);
@@ -1627,17 +1627,17 @@ int DNA_struct_member_offset_by_name_with_alias(const SDNA *sdna,
   return elem_offset_with_alias(sdna, vartype, name, spo);
 }
 
-bool DNA_struct_exists(const SDNA *sdna, const char *stype)
+bool DNA_struct_exists_without_alias(const SDNA *sdna, const char *stype)
 {
-  return DNA_struct_find(sdna, stype) != -1;
+  return DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, stype) != -1;
 }
 
-bool DNA_struct_member_exists(const SDNA *sdna,
-                              const char *stype,
-                              const char *vartype,
-                              const char *name)
+bool DNA_struct_member_exists_without_alias(const SDNA *sdna,
+                                            const char *stype,
+                                            const char *vartype,
+                                            const char *name)
 {
-  const int SDNAnr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, stype);
+  const int SDNAnr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, stype);
 
   if (SDNAnr != -1) {
     const SDNA_Struct *const spo = sdna->structs[SDNAnr];
@@ -1700,7 +1700,7 @@ static bool DNA_sdna_patch_struct(SDNA *sdna,
                                   const int struct_name_old_nr,
                                   const char *struct_name_new)
 {
-  BLI_assert(DNA_struct_find(DNA_sdna_current_get(), struct_name_new) != -1);
+  BLI_assert(DNA_struct_find_without_alias(DNA_sdna_current_get(), struct_name_new) != -1);
   const SDNA_Struct *struct_info = sdna->structs[struct_name_old_nr];
 #ifdef WITH_DNA_GHASH
   BLI_ghash_remove(sdna->structs_map, (void *)sdna->types[struct_info->type], nullptr, nullptr);
@@ -1714,7 +1714,7 @@ bool DNA_sdna_patch_struct_by_name(SDNA *sdna,
                                    const char *struct_name_old,
                                    const char *struct_name_new)
 {
-  const int struct_name_old_nr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, struct_name_old);
+  const int struct_name_old_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, struct_name_old);
   if (struct_name_old_nr != -1) {
     return DNA_sdna_patch_struct(sdna, struct_name_old_nr, struct_name_new);
   }
@@ -1775,7 +1775,7 @@ bool DNA_sdna_patch_struct_member_by_name(SDNA *sdna,
                                           const char *elem_old,
                                           const char *elem_new)
 {
-  const int struct_name_nr = DNA_struct_find(sdna, struct_name);
+  const int struct_name_nr = DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, struct_name);
   if (struct_name_nr != -1) {
     return DNA_sdna_patch_struct_member(sdna, struct_name_nr, elem_old, elem_new);
   }
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
index b0ee863ed2d..03e5058c070 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ static int DNA_struct_find_nr_wrapper(const SDNA *sdna, const char *struct_name)
   struct_name = static_cast<const char *>(BLI_ghash_lookup_default(
       g_version_data.struct_map_static_from_alias, struct_name, (void *)struct_name));
 #endif
-  return DNA_struct_find(sdna, struct_name);
+  return DNA_struct_find_without_alias(sdna, struct_name);
 }
 
 StructDefRNA *rna_find_struct_def(StructRNA *srna)