diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin.h
index 560ad06e39..272506f11e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class PluginInfo {
 	PluginInfo () { };
 	PluginInfo (const PluginInfo &o)
 		: name(o.name), n_inputs(o.n_inputs), n_outputs(o.n_outputs),
-		path (o.path), index(o.index) {}
+		unique_id(o.unique_id), path (o.path), index(o.index) {}
 	~PluginInfo () { };
 	string name;
 	string category;
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class PluginInfo {
 	uint32_t n_outputs;
 	Type type;
 
+	long unique_id;
+
   private:
 	friend class PluginManager;
 	string path;
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ class Plugin : public Stateful, public sigc::trackable
 
 /* this is actually defined in plugin_manager.cc */
 
-Plugin * find_plugin(ARDOUR::Session&, string name, PluginInfo::Type);
+Plugin * find_plugin(ARDOUR::Session&, string name, long unique_id, PluginInfo::Type);
 
 } // namespace ARDOUR
  
diff --git a/libs/ardour/insert.cc b/libs/ardour/insert.cc
index f405af5069..c736328224 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/insert.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/insert.cc
@@ -597,6 +597,11 @@ PluginInsert::state (bool full)
 	node->add_property ("type", _plugins[0]->state_node_name());
 	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s", _plugins[0]->name());
 	node->add_property("id", string(buf));
+	if (_plugins[0]->state_node_name() == "ladspa") {
+		char buf[32];
+		snprintf (buf, 31, "%d", _plugins[0]->get_info().unique_id); 
+		node->add_property("unique-id", string(buf));
+	}
 	node->add_property("count", string_compose("%1", _plugins.size()));
 	node->add_child_nocopy (_plugins[0]->get_state());
 
@@ -632,6 +637,7 @@ PluginInsert::set_state(const XMLNode& node)
 	XMLNodeIterator niter;
 	XMLPropertyList plist;
 	const XMLProperty *prop;
+	long unique = 0;
 	PluginInfo::Type type;
 
 	if ((prop = node.property ("type")) == 0) {
@@ -650,6 +656,11 @@ PluginInsert::set_state(const XMLNode& node)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	prop = node.property ("unique-id");
+	if (prop != 0) {
+		unique = atol(prop->value().c_str());
+	}
+
 	if ((prop = node.property ("id")) == 0) {
 		error << _("XML node describing insert is missing the `id' field") << endmsg;
  		return -1;
@@ -657,7 +668,13 @@ PluginInsert::set_state(const XMLNode& node)
 
 	Plugin* plugin;
 	
-	if ((plugin = find_plugin (_session, prop->value(), type)) == 0) {
+	if (unique != 0) {
+		plugin = find_plugin (_session, "", unique, type);	
+	} else {
+		plugin = find_plugin (_session, prop->value(), 0, type);	
+	}
+
+	if (plugin == 0) {
 		error << string_compose(_("Found a reference to a plugin (\"%1\") that is unknown.\n"
 				   "Perhaps it was removed or moved since it was last used."), prop->value()) 
 		      << endmsg;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
index 0adf8203b6..36cc80a660 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ PluginManager::ladspa_discover (string path)
 		info->n_inputs = 0;
 		info->n_outputs = 0;
 		info->type = PluginInfo::LADSPA;
+		info->unique_id = descriptor->UniqueID;
 		
 		for (uint32_t n=0; n < descriptor->PortCount; ++n) {
 			if ( LADSPA_IS_PORT_AUDIO (descriptor->PortDescriptors[n]) ) {
@@ -326,7 +327,7 @@ PluginManager::load (Session& session, PluginInfo *info)
 }
 
 Plugin *
-ARDOUR::find_plugin(Session& session, string name, PluginInfo::Type type)
+ARDOUR::find_plugin(Session& session, string name, long unique_id, PluginInfo::Type type)
 {
 	PluginManager *mgr = PluginManager::the_manager();
 	list<PluginInfo *>::iterator i;
@@ -338,11 +339,13 @@ ARDOUR::find_plugin(Session& session, string name, PluginInfo::Type type)
 		break;
 	case PluginInfo::VST:
 		plugs = &mgr->vst_plugin_info();
+		unique_id = 0; // VST plugins don't have a unique id.
 		break;
 	}
 
 	for (i = plugs->begin(); i != plugs->end(); ++i) {
-		if ((*i)->name == name) {	
+		if ((name == ""     || (*i)->name == name) &&
+			(unique_id == 0 || (*i)->unique_id == unique_id)) {	
 			return mgr->load (session, *i);
 		}
 	}