diff --git a/src/RecursiveStagesService.php b/src/RecursiveStagesService.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd691b93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RecursiveStagesService.php
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned;
+
+use SilverStripe\Core\Injector\Injectable;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataList;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\SS_List;
+
+/**
+ * Class RecursiveStagesService
+ *
+ * Functionality for detecting the need of publishing nested objects owned by common parent / ancestor object
+ *
+ * @package SilverStripe\Versioned
+ */
+class RecursiveStagesService
+{
+    use Injectable;
+
+    /**
+     * Strong ownership uses 'owns' configuration to determine relationships
+     */
+    public const OWNERSHIP_STRONG = 'strong';
+
+    /**
+     * Weak ownership uses 'cascade_duplicates' configuration to determine relationships
+     */
+    public const OWNERSHIP_WEAK = 'weak';
+
+    /**
+     * Determine if content differs on stages including nested objects
+     *
+     * @param DataObject $object
+     * @param string $mode
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function stagesDifferRecursive(DataObject $object, string $mode): bool
+    {
+        if (!$object->exists()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        $items = [$object];
+
+        // compare existing content
+        while ($item = array_shift($items)) {
+            if ($this->checkNeedPublishingItem($item)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            $relatedObjects = $this->findOwnedObjects($item, $mode);
+            $items = array_merge($items, $relatedObjects);
+        }
+
+        // compare deleted content
+        $draftIdentifiers = $this->findOwnedIdentifiers($object, $mode, Versioned::DRAFT);
+        $liveIdentifiers = $this->findOwnedIdentifiers($object, $mode, Versioned::LIVE);
+
+        return $draftIdentifiers !== $liveIdentifiers;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Find all identifiers for owned objects
+     *
+     * @param DataObject $object
+     * @param string $mode
+     * @param string $stage
+     * @return array
+     */
+    protected function findOwnedIdentifiers(DataObject $object, string $mode, string $stage): array
+    {
+        $ids = Versioned::withVersionedMode(function () use ($object, $mode, $stage): array {
+            Versioned::set_stage($stage);
+
+            $object = DataObject::get_by_id($object->ClassName, $object->ID);
+
+            if ($object === null) {
+                return [];
+            }
+
+            $items = [$object];
+            $ids = [];
+
+            while ($object = array_shift($items)) {
+                $ids[] = implode('_', [$object->baseClass(), $object->ID]);
+                $relatedObjects = $this->findOwnedObjects($object, $mode);
+                $items = array_merge($items, $relatedObjects);
+            }
+
+            return $ids;
+        });
+
+        sort($ids, SORT_STRING);
+
+        return array_values($ids);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This lookup will attempt to find "Strongly owned" objects
+     * such objects are unable to exist without the current object
+     * We will use "cascade_duplicates" setting for this purpose as we can assume that if an object needs to be
+     * duplicated along with the owner object, it uses the strong ownership relation
+     *
+     * "Weakly owned" objects could be looked up via "owns" setting
+     * Such objects can exist even without the owner objects as they are often used as shared objects
+     * managed independently of their owners
+     *
+     * @param DataObject $object
+     * @param string $mode
+     * @return array
+     */
+    protected function findOwnedObjects(DataObject $object, string $mode): array
+    {
+        $ownershipType = $mode === self::OWNERSHIP_WEAK
+            ? 'owns'
+            : 'cascade_duplicates';
+
+        $relations = (array) $object->config()->get($ownershipType);
+        $relations = array_unique($relations);
+        $result = [];
+
+        foreach ($relations as $relation) {
+            $relation = (string) $relation;
+
+            if (!$relation) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $relationData = $object->{$relation}();
+
+            if ($relationData instanceof DataObject) {
+                if (!$relationData->exists()) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                $result[] = $relationData;
+
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (!$relationData instanceof SS_List) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            foreach ($relationData as $relatedObject) {
+                if (!$relatedObject instanceof DataObject || !$relatedObject->exists()) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                $result[] = $relatedObject;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $result;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param DataObject|Versioned $item
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    protected function checkNeedPublishingItem(DataObject $item): bool
+    {
+        if ($item->hasExtension(Versioned::class)) {
+            /** @var $item Versioned */
+            return !$item->isPublished() || $item->stagesDiffer();
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Versioned.php b/src/Versioned.php
index 948dce41..3695203e 100644
--- a/src/Versioned.php
+++ b/src/Versioned.php
@@ -2060,6 +2060,20 @@ public function stagesDiffer()
         return (bool) $stagesDiffer;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Determine if content differs on stages including nested objects
+     * $mode determines which relation will be used to traverse the ownership tree
+     * "strong" will use "cascade_duplicates"
+     * "weak" will use "owns"
+     *
+     * @param string $mode "strong" or "weak"
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function stagesDifferRecursive(string $mode = RecursiveStagesService::OWNERSHIP_STRONG): bool
+    {
+        return RecursiveStagesService::singleton()->stagesDifferRecursive($this->owner, $mode);
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param string $filter
      * @param string $sort
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.php b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9cc43cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests;
+
+use SilverStripe\Dev\SapphireTest;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\ValidationException;
+use SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\ChildObject;
+use SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\ColumnObject;
+use SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\GroupObject;
+use SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\PrimaryObject;
+use SilverStripe\Versioned\Versioned;
+
+class RecursiveStagesServiceTest extends SapphireTest
+{
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected static $fixture_file = 'RecursiveStagesServiceTest.yml';
+
+    /**
+     * @var string[]
+     */
+    protected static $extra_dataobjects = [
+        PrimaryObject::class,
+        ColumnObject::class,
+        GroupObject::class,
+        ChildObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    protected static $required_extensions = [
+        PrimaryObject::class => [
+            Versioned::class,
+        ],
+        ColumnObject::class => [
+            Versioned::class,
+        ],
+        GroupObject::class => [
+            Versioned::class,
+        ],
+        ChildObject::class => [
+            Versioned::class,
+        ],
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $class
+     * @param string $identifier
+     * @param bool $delete
+     * @throws ValidationException
+     * @dataProvider objectsProvider
+     */
+    public function testStageDiffersRecursive(string $class, string $identifier, bool $delete): void
+    {
+        /** @var PrimaryObject|Versioned $primaryItem */
+        $primaryItem = $this->objFromFixture(PrimaryObject::class, 'primary-object-1');
+        $primaryItem->publishRecursive();
+
+        $this->assertFalse($primaryItem->stagesDifferRecursive());
+
+        $record = $this->objFromFixture($class, $identifier);
+
+        if ($delete) {
+            $record->delete();
+        } else {
+            $record->Title = 'New Title';
+            $record->write();
+        }
+
+        $this->assertTrue($primaryItem->stagesDifferRecursive());
+    }
+
+    public function testStageDiffersRecursiveWithInvalidObject(): void
+    {
+        /** @var PrimaryObject|Versioned $primaryItem */
+        $primaryItem = PrimaryObject::create();
+
+        $this->assertFalse($primaryItem->stagesDifferRecursive());
+    }
+
+    public function objectsProvider(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            [PrimaryObject::class, 'primary-object-1', false],
+            [ColumnObject::class, 'column-1', false],
+            [ColumnObject::class, 'column-1', true],
+            [GroupObject::class, 'group-1', false],
+            [GroupObject::class, 'group-1', true],
+            [ChildObject::class, 'child-object-1', false],
+            [ChildObject::class, 'child-object-1', true],
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.yml b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e35a701
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# site-config-1
+# -> primary-object-1 (top level publish object)
+# --> column-1
+# ---> group-1
+# ----> child-object-1
+
+SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\PrimaryObject:
+  primary-object-1:
+    Title: PrimaryObject1
+
+SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\ColumnObject:
+  column-1:
+    Title: Column1
+    PrimaryObject: =>SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\PrimaryObject.primary-object-1
+
+SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\GroupObject:
+  group-1:
+    Title: Group1
+    Column: =>SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\ColumnObject.column-1
+
+SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\ChildObject:
+  child-object-1:
+    Title: Item1
+    Group: =>SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest\GroupObject.group-1
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ChildObject.php b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ChildObject.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6eabe6d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ChildObject.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest;
+
+use SilverStripe\Dev\TestOnly;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;
+
+/**
+ * Class ChildObject
+ *
+ * @property string $Title
+ * @property int $GroupID
+ * @method GroupObject Group()
+ * @package SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest
+ */
+class ChildObject extends DataObject implements TestOnly
+{
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private static $table_name = 'RecursiveStagesServiceTest_ChildObject';
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $db = [
+        'Title' => 'Varchar(255)',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_one = [
+        'Group' => GroupObject::class,
+    ];
+}
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ColumnObject.php b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ColumnObject.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce6c2878
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/ColumnObject.php
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest;
+
+use SilverStripe\Dev\TestOnly;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\HasManyList;
+
+/**
+ * Class ColumnObject
+ *
+ * @property string $Title
+ * @property int $PrimaryObject
+ * @method PrimaryObject PrimaryObject()
+ * @method HasManyList|GroupObject[] Groups()
+ * @package SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest
+ */
+class ColumnObject extends DataObject implements TestOnly
+{
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private static $table_name = 'RecursiveStagesServiceTest_ColumnObject';
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $db = [
+        'Title' => 'Varchar(255)',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_one = [
+        'PrimaryObject' => PrimaryObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_many = [
+        'Groups' => GroupObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $owns = [
+        'Groups',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_duplicates = [
+        'Groups',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_deletes = [
+        'Groups',
+    ];
+}
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/GroupObject.php b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/GroupObject.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bac1eee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/GroupObject.php
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest;
+
+use SilverStripe\Dev\TestOnly;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\HasManyList;
+
+/**
+ * Class GroupObject
+ *
+ * @property string $Title
+ * @property int $ColumnID
+ * @method ColumnObject Column()
+ * @method HasManyList|ChildObject[] Children()
+ * @package SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest
+ */
+class GroupObject extends DataObject implements TestOnly
+{
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private static $table_name = 'RecursiveStagesServiceTest_GroupObject';
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $db = [
+        'Title' => 'Varchar(255)',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_one = [
+        'Column' => ColumnObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_many = [
+        'Children' => ChildObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $owns = [
+        'Children',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_duplicates = [
+        'Children',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_deletes = [
+        'Children',
+    ];
+}
diff --git a/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/PrimaryObject.php b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/PrimaryObject.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..741a756c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/php/RecursiveStagesServiceTest/PrimaryObject.php
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest;
+
+use SilverStripe\Dev\TestOnly;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;
+use SilverStripe\ORM\HasManyList;
+
+/**
+ * Class PrimaryObject
+ *
+ * @method HasManyList|ColumnObject[] Columns()
+ * @package SilverStripe\Versioned\Tests\RecursiveStagesServiceTest
+ */
+class PrimaryObject extends DataObject implements TestOnly
+{
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private static $table_name = 'RecursiveStagesServiceTest_PrimaryObject';
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $db = [
+        'Title' => 'Varchar(255)',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $has_many = [
+        'Columns' => ColumnObject::class,
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $owns = [
+        'Columns',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_duplicates = [
+        'Columns',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private static $cascade_deletes = [
+        'Columns',
+    ];
+}