Error during Schema Compare using limited user account: "Quest.Schema.MSSQL.Model.MSRefFieldCo (4227509)

The following error occurs during Schema Compare using limited user account:

System.NullReferenceException
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Stack Trace:
   at Quest.Schema.MSSQL.Model.MSRefFieldConverter.GetRefFieldName(SearchLevels`1 searchLevelsId)
   at Quest.Schema.Common.ObjectProperties.Properties.PairModel.RefFieldConverter.Convert(PropertyValue`1 value)
   at Quest.Schema.Common.ObjectProperties.Properties.PairModel.Compare.Strategies`1.DefaultRefField[TValue](PropertyValue`1 source, PropertyValue`1 target, PairController controller, TCompareContext context)....

Error does not occur using SysAdmin user account.

Grant DB_DDLADMIN  and GRANT VIEW DEFINITION permissions to user account.

in some cases, rebooting the PC has been known to resolve this issue.