diff --git a/packages/common-library/src/common_library/error_codes.py b/packages/common-library/src/common_library/error_codes.py
index 13b3b1566daa..70829a059ca3 100644
--- a/packages/common-library/src/common_library/error_codes.py
+++ b/packages/common-library/src/common_library/error_codes.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-""" osparc ERROR CODES (OEC)
+"""osparc ERROR CODES (OEC)
   Unique identifier of an exception instance
   Intended to report a user about unexpected errors.
     Unexpected exceptions can be traced by matching the
@@ -7,25 +7,79 @@
 SEE test_error_codes for some use cases
 """
 
+import hashlib
 import re
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Annotated
+import traceback
+from datetime import UTC, datetime
+from typing import Annotated, Final, TypeAlias
 
 from pydantic import StringConstraints, TypeAdapter
 
-_LABEL = "OEC:{}"
-_PATTERN = r"OEC:\d+"
+_LABEL = "OEC:{fingerprint}-{timestamp}"
 
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    ErrorCodeStr = str
-else:
-    ErrorCodeStr = Annotated[
-        str, StringConstraints(strip_whitespace=True, pattern=_PATTERN)
-    ]
+_LEN = 12  # chars (~48 bits)
+_NAMED_PATTERN = re.compile(
+    r"OEC:(?P<fingerprint>[a-fA-F0-9]{12})-(?P<timestamp>\d{13,14})"
+    # NOTE: timestamp limits: 13 digits (from 2001), 14 digits (good for ~500+ years)
+)
+_PATTERN = re.compile(r"OEC:[a-fA-F0-9]{12}-\d{13,14}")
+
+
+ErrorCodeStr: TypeAlias = Annotated[
+    str, StringConstraints(strip_whitespace=True, pattern=_NAMED_PATTERN)
+]
+
+
+def _create_fingerprint(exc: BaseException) -> str:
+    """
+    Unique error fingerprint of the **traceback** for deduplication purposes
+    """
+    tb = traceback.extract_tb(exc.__traceback__)
+    frame_sigs = [f"{frame.name}:{frame.lineno}" for frame in tb]
+    fingerprint = f"{type(exc).__name__}|" + "|".join(frame_sigs)
+    # E.g. ZeroDivisionError|foo:23|main:10
+    return hashlib.sha256(fingerprint.encode()).hexdigest()[:_LEN]
+
+
+_SECS_TO_MILISECS: Final[int] = 1000  # ms
+
+
+def _create_timestamp() -> int:
+    """Timestamp as milliseconds since epoch
+    NOTE: this reduces the precission to milliseconds but it is good enough for our purpose
+    """
+    ts = datetime.now(UTC).timestamp() * _SECS_TO_MILISECS
+    return int(ts)
 
 
 def create_error_code(exception: BaseException) -> ErrorCodeStr:
-    return TypeAdapter(ErrorCodeStr).validate_python(_LABEL.format(id(exception)))
+    """
+    Generates a unique error code for the given exception.
+
+    The error code follows the format: `OEC:{traceback}-{timestamp}`.
+    This code is intended to be shared with the front-end as a `SupportID`
+    for debugging and support purposes.
+    """
+    return TypeAdapter(ErrorCodeStr).validate_python(
+        _LABEL.format(
+            fingerprint=_create_fingerprint(exception),
+            timestamp=_create_timestamp(),
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def parse_error_codes(obj) -> list[ErrorCodeStr]:
+    return TypeAdapter(list[ErrorCodeStr]).validate_python(_PATTERN.findall(f"{obj}"))
 
 
-def parse_error_code(obj) -> set[ErrorCodeStr]:
-    return set(re.findall(_PATTERN, f"{obj}"))
+def parse_error_code_parts(oec: ErrorCodeStr) -> tuple[str, datetime]:
+    """Returns traceback-fingerprint and timestamp from `OEC:{traceback}-{timestamp}`"""
+    match = _NAMED_PATTERN.match(oec)
+    if not match:
+        msg = f"Invalid error code format: {oec}"
+        raise ValueError(msg)
+    fingerprint = match.group("fingerprint")
+    timestamp = datetime.fromtimestamp(
+        float(match.group("timestamp")) / _SECS_TO_MILISECS, tz=UTC
+    )
+    return fingerprint, timestamp
diff --git a/packages/common-library/tests/test_error_codes.py b/packages/common-library/tests/test_error_codes.py
index 5d4d78a5d2b8..80f7b8b0808a 100644
--- a/packages/common-library/tests/test_error_codes.py
+++ b/packages/common-library/tests/test_error_codes.py
@@ -4,17 +4,68 @@
 # pylint: disable=unused-variable
 
 import logging
+import time
 
 import pytest
-from common_library.error_codes import create_error_code, parse_error_code
+from common_library.error_codes import (
+    create_error_code,
+    parse_error_code_parts,
+    parse_error_codes,
+)
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def test_error_code_use_case(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
-    """use case for error-codes"""
+def _level_three(v):
+    msg = f"An error occurred in level three with {v}"
+    raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
+def _level_two(v):
+    _level_three(v)
+
+
+def _level_one(v=None):
+    _level_two(v)
+
+
+def test_exception_fingerprint_consistency():
+    error_codes = []
+
+    for v in range(2):
+        # emulates different runs of the same function (e.g. different sessions)
+        try:
+            _level_one(v)  # same even if different value!
+        except Exception as err:
+            time.sleep(1)
+            error_code = create_error_code(err)
+            error_codes.append(error_code)
+
+    fingerprints, timestamps = list(
+        zip(
+            *[parse_error_code_parts(error_code) for error_code in error_codes],
+            strict=True,
+        )
+    )
+
+    assert fingerprints[0] == fingerprints[1]
+    assert timestamps[0] < timestamps[1]
+
+    try:
+        # Same function but different location
+        _level_one(0)
+    except Exception as e2:
+        time.sleep(1)
+        error_code_2 = create_error_code(e2)
+        fingerprint_2, timestamp_2 = parse_error_code_parts(error_code_2)
+
+        assert fingerprints[0] != fingerprint_2
+        assert timestamps[1] < timestamp_2
+
+
+def test_create_log_and_parse_error_code(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
-        raise RuntimeError("Something unexpected went wrong")
+        _level_one()
 
     # 1. Unexpected ERROR
     err = exc_info.value
@@ -33,11 +84,11 @@ def test_error_code_use_case(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
     logger.exception("Fake Unexpected error", extra={"error_code": error_code})
 
     # logs something like E.g. 2022-07-06 14:31:13,432 OEC:140350117529856 : Fake Unexpected error
-    assert parse_error_code(
+    assert parse_error_codes(
         f"2022-07-06 14:31:13,432 {error_code} : Fake Unexpected error"
-    ) == {
+    ) == [
         error_code,
-    }
+    ]
 
     assert caplog.records[0].error_code == error_code
     assert caplog.records[0]
@@ -49,6 +100,6 @@ def test_error_code_use_case(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
         f"This is a user-friendly message to inform about an error. [{error_code}]"
     )
 
-    assert parse_error_code(user_message) == {
+    assert parse_error_codes(user_message) == [
         error_code,
-    }
+    ]
diff --git a/packages/service-library/tests/aiohttp/test_rest_middlewares.py b/packages/service-library/tests/aiohttp/test_rest_middlewares.py
index 81f5f3c628b0..0adfa6cf80dc 100644
--- a/packages/service-library/tests/aiohttp/test_rest_middlewares.py
+++ b/packages/service-library/tests/aiohttp/test_rest_middlewares.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import pytest
 from aiohttp import web
 from aiohttp.test_utils import TestClient
-from common_library.error_codes import parse_error_code
+from common_library.error_codes import parse_error_codes
 from common_library.json_serialization import json_dumps
 from servicelib.aiohttp import status
 from servicelib.aiohttp.rest_middlewares import (
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ class Data:
     y: str = "foo"
 
 
-class SomeUnexpectedError(Exception):
-    ...
+class SomeUnexpectedError(Exception): ...
 
 
 class Handlers:
@@ -237,7 +236,7 @@ async def test_raised_unhandled_exception(
 
         # user friendly message with OEC reference
         assert "OEC" in error["message"]
-        parsed_oec = parse_error_code(error["message"]).pop()
+        parsed_oec = parse_error_codes(error["message"]).pop()
         assert (
             _FMSG_INTERNAL_ERROR_USER_FRIENDLY_WITH_OEC.format(error_code=parsed_oec)
             == error["message"]