diff --git a/mRemoteNGTests/IntegrationTests/XmlSerializationLifeCycleTests.cs b/mRemoteNGTests/IntegrationTests/XmlSerializationLifeCycleTests.cs
index 53f74739..4bcb698d 100644
--- a/mRemoteNGTests/IntegrationTests/XmlSerializationLifeCycleTests.cs
+++ b/mRemoteNGTests/IntegrationTests/XmlSerializationLifeCycleTests.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-using System.Linq;
+using System;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Xml.Linq;
 using mRemoteNG.Config.Serializers;
 using mRemoteNG.Config.Serializers.Xml;
 using mRemoteNG.Connection;
@@ -29,20 +31,19 @@ namespace mRemoteNGTests.IntegrationTests
                 _originalModel.RootNodes.OfType<RootNodeInfo>().First().PasswordString.ConvertToSecureString(),
                 new SaveFilter());
             _serializer = new XmlConnectionsSerializer(cryptoProvider, nodeSerializer);
+            _deserializer = new XmlConnectionsDeserializer();
         }
 
         [TearDown]
         public void Teardown()
         {
             _serializer = null;
-            _deserializer = null;
         }
 
         [Test]
         public void SerializeThenDeserialize()
         {
             var serializedContent = _serializer.Serialize(_originalModel);
-            _deserializer = new XmlConnectionsDeserializer();
             var deserializedModel = _deserializer.Deserialize(serializedContent);
             var nodeNamesFromDeserializedModel = deserializedModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
             var nodeNamesFromOriginalModel = _originalModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
@@ -54,7 +55,6 @@ namespace mRemoteNGTests.IntegrationTests
         {
             _serializer.UseFullEncryption = true;
             var serializedContent = _serializer.Serialize(_originalModel);
-            _deserializer = new XmlConnectionsDeserializer();
             var deserializedModel = _deserializer.Deserialize(serializedContent);
             var nodeNamesFromDeserializedModel = deserializedModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
             var nodeNamesFromOriginalModel = _originalModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ namespace mRemoteNGTests.IntegrationTests
         {
             var originalConnectionInfo = new ConnectionInfo {Name = "con1", Description = "£°úg¶┬ä" };
             var serializedContent = _serializer.Serialize(originalConnectionInfo);
-            _deserializer = new XmlConnectionsDeserializer();
             var deserializedModel = _deserializer.Deserialize(serializedContent);
             var deserializedConnectionInfo = deserializedModel.GetRecursiveChildList().First(node => node.Name == originalConnectionInfo.Name);
             Assert.That(deserializedConnectionInfo.Description, Is.EqualTo(originalConnectionInfo.Description));
@@ -84,13 +83,26 @@ namespace mRemoteNGTests.IntegrationTests
                 new SaveFilter());
             _serializer = new XmlConnectionsSerializer(cryptoProvider, nodeSerializer);
             var serializedContent = _serializer.Serialize(_originalModel);
-            _deserializer = new XmlConnectionsDeserializer();
             var deserializedModel = _deserializer.Deserialize(serializedContent);
             var nodeNamesFromDeserializedModel = deserializedModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
             var nodeNamesFromOriginalModel = _originalModel.GetRecursiveChildList().Select(node => node.Name);
             Assert.That(nodeNamesFromDeserializedModel, Is.EquivalentTo(nodeNamesFromOriginalModel));
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void GuidCreatedIfNonExistedInXml()
+        {
+            var originalConnectionInfo = new ConnectionInfo { Name = "con1" };
+            var serializedContent = _serializer.Serialize(originalConnectionInfo);
+
+            // remove GUID from connection xml
+            serializedContent = serializedContent.Replace(originalConnectionInfo.ConstantID, "");
+
+            var deserializedModel = _deserializer.Deserialize(serializedContent);
+            var deserializedConnectionInfo = deserializedModel.GetRecursiveChildList().First(node => node.Name == originalConnectionInfo.Name);
+            Assert.That(Guid.TryParse(deserializedConnectionInfo.ConstantID, out var guid));
+        }
+
 
         private ConnectionTreeModel SetupConnectionTreeModel()
         {
diff --git a/mRemoteV1/Config/Serializers/ConnectionSerializers/Xml/XmlConnectionsDeserializer.cs b/mRemoteV1/Config/Serializers/ConnectionSerializers/Xml/XmlConnectionsDeserializer.cs
index 71919e63..f4b2620e 100644
--- a/mRemoteV1/Config/Serializers/ConnectionSerializers/Xml/XmlConnectionsDeserializer.cs
+++ b/mRemoteV1/Config/Serializers/ConnectionSerializers/Xml/XmlConnectionsDeserializer.cs
@@ -205,7 +205,9 @@ namespace mRemoteNG.Config.Serializers.Xml
         {
             if (xmlnode.Attributes == null) return null;
 
-			var connectionId = xmlnode.Attributes["Id"]?.Value ?? Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
+			var connectionId = xmlnode.Attributes["Id"]?.Value;
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(connectionId))
+                connectionId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
 			var connectionInfo = new ConnectionInfo(connectionId);
 
             try