diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/edge_block.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/edge_block.h
index 7a3a09b6b1..42bde8ba51 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/edge_block.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/edge_block.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ template <typename INT> class Edge_Block : public Exo_Entity
 
   size_t Edge_Index(size_t position) const;
 
-  int Check_State() const;
+  int Check_State() const override;
 
 private:
   void entity_load_params() override;
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_block.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_block.h
index b35cb404a0..fcf9daac19 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_block.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_block.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright(C) 1999-2022 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
+// Copyright(C) 1999-2023 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
 // of Sandia, LLC (NTESS).  Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with
 // NTESS, the U.S. Government retains certain rights in this software.
 //
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ template <typename INT> class Exo_Block : public Exo_Entity
   const INT              *Connectivity(size_t elmt_index) const; // 1-offset connectivity
 
   // Misc:
-  int Check_State() const;
+  int Check_State() const override;
 
   int64_t offset() const { return offset_; }
   void    offset(int64_t off) { offset_ = off; }
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.C b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.C
index 0f1d1231e7..9a06e490d5 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.C
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.C
@@ -56,14 +56,6 @@ Exo_Entity::~Exo_Entity()
   }
 }
 
-int Exo_Entity::Check_State() const
-{
-  SMART_ASSERT(id_ >= EX_INVALID_ID);
-
-  SMART_ASSERT(!(id_ == EX_INVALID_ID && numEntity > 0));
-  return 1;
-}
-
 void Exo_Entity::initialize(int file_id, size_t id)
 {
   fileId = file_id;
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.h
index b6e3782086..fc30d400c8 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/exo_entity.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright(C) 1999-2022 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
+// Copyright(C) 1999-2023 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
 // of Sandia, LLC (NTESS).  Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with
 // NTESS, the U.S. Government retains certain rights in this software.
 //
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class Exo_Entity
   size_t Id() const { return id_; }
   size_t Index() const { return index_; }
 
-  int Check_State() const;
+  virtual int Check_State() const = 0;
 
   void initialize(int file_id, size_t id);
 
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/face_block.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/face_block.h
index 7fe45473d7..cb87ec50ac 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/face_block.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/face_block.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ template <typename INT> class Face_Block : public Exo_Entity
 
   size_t Face_Index(size_t position) const;
 
-  int Check_State() const;
+  int Check_State() const override;
 
 private:
   void entity_load_params() override;
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/node_set.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/node_set.h
index 1ce5cb614b..37172b2db9 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/node_set.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/node_set.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright(C) 1999-2020, 2022 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
+// Copyright(C) 1999-2020, 2022, 2023 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
 // of Sandia, LLC (NTESS).  Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with
 // NTESS, the U.S. Government retains certain rights in this software.
 //
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ template <typename INT> class Node_Set : public Exo_Entity
   const double *Distribution_Factors() const;
   void          Free_Distribution_Factors() const;
 
-  int Check_State() const;
+  int Check_State() const override;
 
 private:
   void entity_load_params() override;
diff --git a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/side_set.h b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/side_set.h
index 4e923b18c2..870b4ecf55 100644
--- a/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/side_set.h
+++ b/packages/seacas/applications/exodiff/side_set.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ template <typename INT> class Side_Set : public Exo_Entity
   const double       *Distribution_Factors() const;
   void                Free_Distribution_Factors() const;
 
-  int    Check_State() const;
+  int    Check_State() const override;
   size_t Distribution_Factor_Count() const { return num_dist_factors; }
 
 private: