diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 786b93b..e1b80d1 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::{Dialogue, Ending, Font, Item, Palette, Room, Sprite, TextDirection, Tile, Variable, transform_line_endings, segments_from_string, new_unique_id};
+use crate::{Dialogue, Ending, Font, Item, Palette, Room, Sprite, TextDirection, Tile, Variable, transform_line_endings, segments_from_string, new_unique_id, try_id};
 use loe::TransformMode;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
@@ -540,8 +540,10 @@ impl Game {
     /// adds an item safely and returns the new item ID
     #[inline]
     pub fn add_item(&mut self, mut item: Item) -> String {
-        let new_id = self.new_item_id();
-        item.id = new_id.clone();
+        let new_id = try_id(self.item_ids(), item.id.clone());
+        if new_id != item.id {
+            item.id = new_id.clone();
+        }
         self.items.push(item);
         new_id
     }
@@ -693,4 +695,12 @@ mod test {
             vec![&crate::mock::tile_default()]
         )
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_add_item() {
+        let mut game = crate::mock::game_default();
+        game.add_item(crate::mock::item());
+        game.add_item(crate::mock::item());
+        assert_eq!(game.item_ids(), vec!["0".to_string(), "6".to_string(), "1".to_string()]);
+    }
 }