diff --git a/src/csync_reconcile.c b/src/csync_reconcile.c
index 477300c8db..84cc371240 100644
--- a/src/csync_reconcile.c
+++ b/src/csync_reconcile.c
@@ -139,12 +139,18 @@ static int _csync_merge_algorithm_visitor(void *obj, void *data) {
                            || cur->type == CSYNC_FTW_TYPE_DIR) {
                     other->instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_RENAME;
                     other->destpath = c_strdup( cur->path );
-                    csync_vio_set_file_id( other->file_id, cur->file_id );
+                    if( !c_streq(cur->file_id, INVALID_FILE_ID) ) {
+                        csync_vio_set_file_id( other->file_id, cur->file_id );
+                    }
                     cur->instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE;
                 } else if (other->instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_REMOVE) {
                     other->instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_RENAME;
                     other->destpath = c_strdup( cur->path );
-                    csync_vio_set_file_id( other->file_id, cur->file_id );
+
+                    if( !c_streq(cur->file_id, INVALID_FILE_ID) ) {
+                        csync_vio_set_file_id( other->file_id, cur->file_id );
+                    }
+
                     cur->instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE;
                 } else if (other->instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NEW) {
                     CSYNC_LOG(CSYNC_LOG_PRIORITY_TRACE, "OOOO=> NEW detected in other tree!");