diff --git a/src/Utils.py b/src/Utils.py
index 156bda10d..ce4be08d3 100644
--- a/src/Utils.py
+++ b/src/Utils.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import random
 import time
 import shutil
 import platform
+import uuid
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ import gen.lib
 import Errors
 from GrampsLocale import codeset
 
-from const import TEMP_DIR, USER_HOME, WINDOWS, MACOS, LINUX
+from const import TEMP_DIR, USER_HOME, WINDOWS, MACOS, LINUX, GRAMPS_UUID
 from TransUtils import sgettext as _
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -444,6 +445,13 @@ def create_id():
     return "%08x%08x" % ( int(time.time()*10000), 
                           rand.randint(0, sys.maxint))
 
+def create_uid(self, handle=None):
+    if handle:
+        uid = uuid.uuid5(GRAMPS_UUID, handle)
+    else:
+        uid = uuid.uuid4()
+    return uid.hex.upper()
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # probably_alive
diff --git a/src/const.py.in b/src/const.py.in
index ed5272281..adccb73b4 100644
--- a/src/const.py.in
+++ b/src/const.py.in
@@ -261,4 +261,4 @@ LONGOPTS = [
 
 SHORTOPTS = "O:i:e:f:a:p:d:lLhu?"
 
-
+GRAMPS_UUID =  uuid.UUID('516cd010-5a41-470f-99f8-eb22f1098ad6')