diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240425-144556.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240425-144556.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..002da3c1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240425-144556.yaml	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Under the Hood
+body: Speedup catalog string comparison by using ilike before equals
+time: 2024-04-25T14:45:56.549787+02:00
+custom:
+  Author: aranke
+  Issue: '1035'
diff --git a/dbt/include/snowflake/macros/catalog.sql b/dbt/include/snowflake/macros/catalog.sql
index 8354d3c44..bde8b8f8f 100644
--- a/dbt/include/snowflake/macros/catalog.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/snowflake/macros/catalog.sql
@@ -95,9 +95,14 @@
 {%- endmacro %}
 
 
+{% macro snowflake__catalog_equals(field, value) %}
+    "{{ field }}" ilike '{{ value }}' and upper("{{ field }}") = upper('{{ value }}')
+{% endmacro %}
+
+
 {% macro snowflake__get_catalog_schemas_where_clause_sql(schemas) -%}
     where ({%- for schema in schemas -%}
-        upper("table_schema") = upper('{{ schema }}'){%- if not loop.last %} or {% endif -%}
+        ({{ snowflake__catalog_equals('table_schema', schema) }}){%- if not loop.last %} or {% endif -%}
     {%- endfor -%})
 {%- endmacro %}
 
@@ -107,12 +112,12 @@
         {%- for relation in relations -%}
             {% if relation.schema and relation.identifier %}
                 (
-                    upper("table_schema") = upper('{{ relation.schema }}')
-                    and upper("table_name") = upper('{{ relation.identifier }}')
+                    {{ snowflake__catalog_equals('table_schema', relation.schema) }}
+                    and {{ snowflake__catalog_equals('table_name', relation.identifier) }}
                 )
             {% elif relation.schema %}
                 (
-                    upper("table_schema") = upper('{{ relation.schema }}')
+                    {{ snowflake__catalog_equals('table_schema', relation.schema) }}
                 )
             {% else %}
                 {% do exceptions.raise_compiler_error(