diff --git a/core/dbt/contracts/graph/nodes.py b/core/dbt/contracts/graph/nodes.py
index 731a5c53b48..6c589f11cf5 100644
--- a/core/dbt/contracts/graph/nodes.py
+++ b/core/dbt/contracts/graph/nodes.py
@@ -370,7 +370,10 @@ def same_contract(self, old, adapter_type=None) -> bool:
         return True
 
     def same_vars(self, old) -> bool:
-        return self.vars == old.vars
+        if get_flags().state_modified_compare_vars:
+            return self.vars == old.vars
+        else:
+            return True
 
     def same_contents(self, old, adapter_type) -> bool:
         if old is None:
@@ -1256,7 +1259,10 @@ def same_config(self, old: "SourceDefinition") -> bool:
         )
 
     def same_vars(self, other: "SourceDefinition") -> bool:
-        return self.vars == other.vars
+        if get_flags().state_modified_compare_vars:
+            return self.vars == other.vars
+        else:
+            return True
 
     def same_contents(self, old: Optional["SourceDefinition"]) -> bool:
         # existing when it didn't before is a change!
@@ -1376,7 +1382,10 @@ def same_config(self, old: "Exposure") -> bool:
         )
 
     def same_vars(self, old: "Exposure") -> bool:
-        return self.vars == old.vars
+        if get_flags().state_modified_compare_vars:
+            return self.vars == old.vars
+        else:
+            return True
 
     def same_contents(self, old: Optional["Exposure"]) -> bool:
         # existing when it didn't before is a change!
diff --git a/core/dbt/contracts/project.py b/core/dbt/contracts/project.py
index e08131ecd8f..198b6c6325b 100644
--- a/core/dbt/contracts/project.py
+++ b/core/dbt/contracts/project.py
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ class ProjectFlags(ExtensibleDbtClassMixin):
     require_resource_names_without_spaces: bool = False
     source_freshness_run_project_hooks: bool = False
     state_modified_compare_more_unrendered_values: bool = False
+    state_modified_compare_vars: bool = False
 
     @property
     def project_only_flags(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
@@ -350,6 +351,7 @@ def project_only_flags(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             "require_resource_names_without_spaces": self.require_resource_names_without_spaces,
             "source_freshness_run_project_hooks": self.source_freshness_run_project_hooks,
             "state_modified_compare_more_unrendered_values": self.state_modified_compare_more_unrendered_values,
+            "state_modified_compare_vars": self.state_modified_compare_vars,
         }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/functional/defer_state/test_modified_state.py b/tests/functional/defer_state/test_modified_state.py
index 13af62c8e82..2fe52584b51 100644
--- a/tests/functional/defer_state/test_modified_state.py
+++ b/tests/functional/defer_state/test_modified_state.py
@@ -1150,6 +1150,9 @@ class TestModifiedVars(BaseModifiedState):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def project_config_update(self):
         return {
+            "flags": {
+                "state_modified_compare_vars": True,
+            },
             "vars": {"my_var": 1},
         }
 
@@ -1198,6 +1201,9 @@ class TestModifiedMacroVars(BaseModifiedState):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def project_config_update(self):
         return {
+            "flags": {
+                "state_modified_compare_vars": True,
+            },
             "vars": {"my_var": 1},
         }
 
@@ -1261,6 +1267,9 @@ class TestModifiedVarsSchemaYml(BaseModifiedState):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def project_config_update(self):
         return {
+            "flags": {
+                "state_modified_compare_vars": True,
+            },
             "vars": {"my_var": "table"},
         }