diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/src/olm/group_sessions/inbound.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/src/olm/group_sessions/inbound.rs
index 755426efe..2e672a704 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/src/olm/group_sessions/inbound.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/src/olm/group_sessions/inbound.rs
@@ -488,7 +488,34 @@ impl InboundGroupSession {
 
     /// Check if the [`InboundGroupSession`] is better than the given other
     /// [`InboundGroupSession`]
+    #[deprecated(
+        note = "Sessions cannot be compared on a linear scale. Consider calling `compare_ratchet`, as well as comparing the `sender_data`."
+    )]
     pub async fn compare(&self, other: &InboundGroupSession) -> SessionOrdering {
+        match self.compare_ratchet(other).await {
+            SessionOrdering::Equal => {
+                match self.sender_data.compare_trust_level(&other.sender_data) {
+                    Ordering::Less => SessionOrdering::Worse,
+                    Ordering::Equal => SessionOrdering::Equal,
+                    Ordering::Greater => SessionOrdering::Better,
+                }
+            }
+            result => result,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Check if the [`InboundGroupSession`]'s ratchet index is better than that
+    /// of the given other [`InboundGroupSession`].
+    ///
+    /// If the two sessions are not connected (i.e., they are from different
+    /// senders, or if advancing the ratchets to the same index does not
+    /// give the same ratchet value), returns [`SessionOrdering::Unconnected`].
+    ///
+    /// Otherwise, returns [`SessionOrdering::Equal`],
+    /// [`SessionOrdering::Better`], or [`SessionOrdering::Worse`] respectively
+    /// depending on whether this session's first known index is equal to,
+    /// lower than, or higher than, that of `other`.
+    pub async fn compare_ratchet(&self, other: &InboundGroupSession) -> SessionOrdering {
         // If this is the same object the ordering is the same, we can't compare because
         // we would deadlock while trying to acquire the same lock twice.
         if Arc::ptr_eq(&self.inner, &other.inner) {
@@ -501,17 +528,7 @@ impl InboundGroupSession {
             SessionOrdering::Unconnected
         } else {
             let mut other_inner = other.inner.lock().await;
-
-            match self.inner.lock().await.compare(&mut other_inner) {
-                SessionOrdering::Equal => {
-                    match self.sender_data.compare_trust_level(&other.sender_data) {
-                        Ordering::Less => SessionOrdering::Worse,
-                        Ordering::Equal => SessionOrdering::Equal,
-                        Ordering::Greater => SessionOrdering::Better,
-                    }
-                }
-                result => result,
-            }
+            self.inner.lock().await.compare(&mut other_inner)
         }
     }
 
@@ -1057,6 +1074,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[async_test]
+    #[allow(deprecated)]
     async fn test_session_comparison() {
         let alice = Account::with_device_id(alice_id(), alice_device_id());
         let room_id = room_id!("!test:localhost");
@@ -1067,18 +1085,24 @@ mod tests {
         let mut copy = InboundGroupSession::from_pickle(inbound.pickle().await).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(inbound.compare(&worse).await, SessionOrdering::Better);
+        assert_eq!(inbound.compare_ratchet(&worse).await, SessionOrdering::Better);
         assert_eq!(worse.compare(&inbound).await, SessionOrdering::Worse);
+        assert_eq!(worse.compare_ratchet(&inbound).await, SessionOrdering::Worse);
         assert_eq!(inbound.compare(&inbound).await, SessionOrdering::Equal);
+        assert_eq!(inbound.compare_ratchet(&inbound).await, SessionOrdering::Equal);
         assert_eq!(inbound.compare(&copy).await, SessionOrdering::Equal);
+        assert_eq!(inbound.compare_ratchet(&copy).await, SessionOrdering::Equal);
 
         copy.creator_info.curve25519_key =
             Curve25519PublicKey::from_base64("XbmrPa1kMwmdtNYng1B2gsfoo8UtF+NklzsTZiaVKyY")
                 .unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(inbound.compare(&copy).await, SessionOrdering::Unconnected);
+        assert_eq!(inbound.compare_ratchet(&copy).await, SessionOrdering::Unconnected);
     }
 
     #[async_test]
+    #[allow(deprecated)]
     async fn test_session_comparison_sender_data() {
         let alice = Account::with_device_id(alice_id(), alice_device_id());
         let room_id = room_id!("!test:localhost");