diff --git a/lib/network/Network.js b/lib/network/Network.js
index 5e1c8d2610..4b83ad40e7 100644
--- a/lib/network/Network.js
+++ b/lib/network/Network.js
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ export function Network(container, data, options) {
     },
   };
 
+  //zindex body properties if needed. Must be set before bindEventListeners() and NodesHandler construction: zindex events will only be bound if necessary 
+  if(options.zIndexField){
+    this.body.zIndexField = options.zIndexField; // needed in Node.setOption(), has to know which field is the zIndex field, if any.
+    this.body.zIndexCompare = options.zIndexCompare || ((a,b)=>(parseInt(a)||0)-(parseInt(b)||0)); // defaults to integer comparison if nothing else given, any invalid int worth zero
+  } 
+
   // bind the event listeners
   this.bindEventListeners();
 
@@ -362,6 +368,10 @@ Network.prototype.bindEventListeners = function () {
     this.clustering._updateState();
     this._updateVisibleIndices();
 
+    if(this.body.zIndexField && this.body.zIndexCompare){//currently tested both before calling and in function, maybe not useful
+      this.nodesHandler.zindexSortNodeIndices();
+    }
+
     this._updateValueRange(this.body.nodes);
     this._updateValueRange(this.body.edges);
     // start simulation (can be called safely, even if already running)
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/NodesHandler.js b/lib/network/modules/NodesHandler.js
index c948b9fd96..19e8028fa4 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/NodesHandler.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/NodesHandler.js
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ class NodesHandler {
     // refresh the nodes. Used when reverting from hierarchical layout
     this.body.emitter.on("refreshNodes", this.refresh.bind(this));
     this.body.emitter.on("refresh", this.refresh.bind(this));
+    if(this.body.zIndexField && this.body.zIndexCompare){// after refreshing, also zindex-sort if a zindex is configured
+        this.body.emitter.on("refresh", this.zindexSortNodeIndices.bind(this));
+        this.body.emitter.on("refreshNodes", this.zindexSortNodeIndices.bind(this));
+    }
     this.body.emitter.on("destroy", () => {
       forEach(this.nodesListeners, (callback, event) => {
         if (this.body.data.nodes) this.body.data.nodes.off(event, callback);
@@ -405,6 +409,15 @@ class NodesHandler {
       }
     });
   }
+  
+  zindexSortNodeIndices(){
+    const zindex = this.body.zIndexField;
+    const comp =  this.body.zIndexCompare;
+    if(zindex && comp){//test not really necessary if previously tested before adding an Emitter event handler
+      const nodes = this.body.nodes;
+      this.body.nodeIndices.sort((a,b)=>comp(nodes[a].options[zindex], nodes[b].options[zindex]));
+    }
+  }
 
   /**
    * Returns the positions of the nodes.
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
index 6611111bc6..19512400e1 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
@@ -114,12 +114,12 @@ class Node {
    * @returns {null|boolean}
    */
   setOptions(options) {
-    const currentShape = this.options.shape;
-
     if (!options) {
       return; // Note that the return value will be 'undefined'! This is OK.
     }
 
+    const currentShape = this.options.shape;
+    const zIdField = this.body.zIndexField;
     // Save the color for later.
     // This is necessary in order to prevent local color from being overwritten by group color.
     // TODO: To prevent such workarounds the way options are handled should be rewritten from scratch.
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ class Node {
     if (typeof options.color !== "undefined") {
       this._localColor = options.color;
     }
+    //same logic and same comment as above. Thanks for the workaround.
+    if (zIdField && typeof options[zIdField] !== "undefined") {
+      this._zindex = options[zIdField];
+    }
 
     // basic options
     if (options.id !== undefined) {
@@ -185,6 +189,9 @@ class Node {
     if (options.opacity !== undefined && Node.checkOpacity(options.opacity)) {
       this.options.opacity = options.opacity;
     }
+    // Need to set local zindex after `Node.parseOptions(...);` and `this.updateLabelModule(options)` otherwise it's overwritten with group's zindex
+    this.options[zIdField] = this._zindex ?? this.grouplist.get(this.options.group)[zIdField] ?? this.globalOptions[zIdField] ?? undefined; // we want new option's zindex if given, otherwise previous own zindex, NOT group's zindex
+    //notice: using ?? and not || because 0 IS a valid zindex, only null or undefined are not
 
     this.updateShape(currentShape);
 
@@ -492,12 +499,13 @@ class Node {
     if (this.options.label === undefined || this.options.label === null) {
       this.options.label = "";
     }
-
+    const zIdField = this.body.zIndexField;
     Node.updateGroupOptions(
       this.options,
       {
         ...options,
         color: (options && options.color) || this._localColor || undefined,
+        zindex: (options && options[zIdField]) || this._zindex || undefined
       },
       this.grouplist,
     );
diff --git a/lib/network/options.ts b/lib/network/options.ts
index 070de61f49..e79800d476 100644
--- a/lib/network/options.ts
+++ b/lib/network/options.ts
@@ -545,6 +545,8 @@ const allOptions: OptionsConfig = {
   },
   height: { string },
   width: { string },
+  zIndexField: { string },
+  zIndexCompare : { function: "function" },
   __type__: { object },
 };
 /* eslint-enable @typescript-eslint/naming-convention */