diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/BpmnFactory.js b/lib/features/modeling/BpmnFactory.js
index c89126d9..2cb12572 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/BpmnFactory.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/BpmnFactory.js
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ BpmnFactory.prototype._needsId = function(element) {
 };
 
 BpmnFactory.prototype._ensureId = function(element) {
+  if (element.id) {
+    this._model.ids.claim(element.id, element);
+    return;
+  }
 
   // generate semantic ids for elements
   // bpmn:SequenceFlow -> SequenceFlow_ID
diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehavior.js b/lib/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehavior.js
index 7e3560df..49493fe4 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehavior.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehavior.js
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ export default function UnclaimIdBehavior(canvas, injector, moddle, modeling) {
     var rootElement = canvas.getRootElement(),
         rootElementBo = rootElement.businessObject;
 
-    moddle.ids.unclaim(rootElementBo.id);
+    if (is(rootElement, 'bpmn:Collaboration')) {
+      moddle.ids.unclaim(rootElementBo.id);
+    }
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/spec/features/modeling/BpmnFactorySpec.js b/test/spec/features/modeling/BpmnFactorySpec.js
index a388ff13..e3422d63 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/modeling/BpmnFactorySpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/modeling/BpmnFactorySpec.js
@@ -116,6 +116,16 @@ describe('features - bpmn-factory', function() {
         })
       );
     });
+
+
+    it('should claim provided id', inject(function(bpmnFactory, moddle) {
+      var task = bpmnFactory.create('bpmn:Task', { id: 'foo' });
+
+      expect(task).to.exist;
+      expect(task.id).to.eql('foo');
+      expect(moddle.ids.assigned('foo')).to.exist;
+    }));
+
   });
 
 
diff --git a/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehaviorSpec.js b/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehaviorSpec.js
index ed62fef7..3b0378f8 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehaviorSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/UnclaimIdBehaviorSpec.js
@@ -82,4 +82,21 @@ describe('features/modeling - unclaim id', function() {
     expect(moddle.ids.assigned('Collaboration_1')).to.be.false;
   }));
 
+
+  describe('morphing', function() {
+    var simpleXML = require('../../../../fixtures/bpmn/simple.bpmn');
+
+    beforeEach(bootstrapModeler(simpleXML, { modules: testModules }));
+
+    it('should keep ID of root', inject(function(moddle, modeling) {
+
+      // when
+      modeling.makeCollaboration();
+
+      // then
+      expect(moddle.ids.assigned('Process_1')).to.exist;
+    }));
+
+  });
+
 });
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