diff --git a/server/compose/rest.yaml b/server/compose/rest.yaml
index 80be98ae3..453a820fc 100644
--- a/server/compose/rest.yaml
+++ b/server/compose/rest.yaml
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ endpoints:
         title: Duplicate name
       - type: string
         name: slug
-        required: true
         title: Duplicate slug
   - name: export
     path: "/{namespaceID}/export/{filename}.zip"
@@ -201,7 +200,6 @@ endpoints:
         title: Imported namespace name
       - type: string
         name: slug
-        required: true
         title: Imported namespace slug
   - name: triggerScript
     method: POST
diff --git a/server/compose/service/namespace.go b/server/compose/service/namespace.go
index f6cd34863..102c40418 100644
--- a/server/compose/service/namespace.go
+++ b/server/compose/service/namespace.go
@@ -39,10 +39,11 @@ type (
 	}
 
 	namespaceImportSession struct {
-		Name      string `json:"name"`
-		Slug      string `json:"handle"`
-		SessionID uint64 `json:"sessionID,string"`
-		UserID    uint64 `json:"userID,string"`
+		Name        string `json:"name"`
+		Slug        string `json:"handle"`
+		NamespaceID uint64 `json:"namespaceID,string"`
+		SessionID   uint64 `json:"sessionID,string"`
+		UserID      uint64 `json:"userID,string"`
 
 		CreatedAt time.Time `json:"createdAt"`
 		UpdatedAt time.Time `json:"updatedAt"`
@@ -285,12 +286,14 @@ func (svc namespace) Clone(ctx context.Context, namespaceID uint64, dup *types.N
 		aProps.setNamespace(targetNs)
 
 		// - destination namespace
-		dstNs, err := store.LookupComposeNamespaceBySlug(ctx, svc.store, dup.Slug)
-		if err != nil && err != store.ErrNotFound {
-			return err
-		}
-		if dstNs != nil {
-			return NamespaceErrHandleNotUnique()
+		if dup.Slug != "" {
+			dstNs, err := store.LookupComposeNamespaceBySlug(ctx, svc.store, dup.Slug)
+			if err != nil && err != store.ErrNotFound {
+				return err
+			}
+			if dstNs != nil {
+				return NamespaceErrHandleNotUnique()
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Access control
@@ -403,6 +406,8 @@ func (svc namespace) ImportInit(ctx context.Context, f multipart.File, size int6
 			return NamespaceErrImportMissingNamespace()
 		}
 
+		// session needs to have namespaceID if ns Handle is not provided
+		session.NamespaceID = ns.ID
 		session.Name = ns.Name
 		session.Slug = ns.Slug
 		namespaceSessionStore[session.SessionID] = session
@@ -425,17 +430,19 @@ func (svc namespace) ImportRun(ctx context.Context, sessionID uint64, dup *types
 			return err
 		}
 
-		if dup.Slug == "" || !handle.IsValid(dup.Slug) {
+		if !handle.IsValid(dup.Slug) {
 			return NamespaceErrInvalidHandle()
 		}
 
-		// check for duplicate
-		dstNs, err := store.LookupComposeNamespaceBySlug(ctx, svc.store, dup.Slug)
-		if err != nil && err != store.ErrNotFound {
-			return err
-		}
-		if dstNs != nil {
-			return NamespaceErrHandleNotUnique()
+		if dup.Slug != "" {
+			// check for duplicate
+			dstNs, err := store.LookupComposeNamespaceBySlug(ctx, svc.store, dup.Slug)
+			if err != nil && err != store.ErrNotFound {
+				return err
+			}
+			if dstNs != nil {
+				return NamespaceErrHandleNotUnique()
+			}
 		}
 
 		// session
@@ -453,7 +460,7 @@ func (svc namespace) ImportRun(ctx context.Context, sessionID uint64, dup *types
 
 		aProps.setNamespace(dup)
 
-		newNS, err = svc.envoyRun(ctx, session.Resources, &types.Namespace{Slug: session.Slug, Name: session.Name}, dup, encoder)
+		newNS, err = svc.envoyRun(ctx, session.Resources, &types.Namespace{ID: session.NamespaceID, Slug: session.Slug, Name: session.Name}, dup, encoder)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_marshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_marshal.go
index 0e90a7c97..6d444f4e4 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_marshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_marshal.go
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ func (n *composeChart) Encode(ctx context.Context, doc *Document, state *envoy.R
 
 func (c *composeChart) MarshalYAML() (interface{}, error) {
 	nn, err := makeMap(
+		"chartID", c.res.ID,
 		"handle", c.res.Handle,
 		"name", c.res.Name,
 		"config", c.chartConfig,
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_unmarshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_unmarshal.go
index 88de13f4f..0d96b2c93 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_unmarshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_chart_unmarshal.go
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ func (wrap *composeChart) UnmarshalYAML(n *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 
 	return y7s.EachMap(n, func(k, v *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 		switch k.Value {
+		case "chartID":
+			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "chart ID", &wrap.res.ID)
+
 		case "handle":
 			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "chart handle", &wrap.res.Handle)
 
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_marshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_marshal.go
index f7b21ac5e..7d600c39d 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_marshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_marshal.go
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ func (c *composeModule) MarshalYAML() (interface{}, error) {
 	}
 
 	nn, err := makeMap(
+		"moduleID", c.res.ID,
 		"handle", c.res.Handle,
 		"name", c.res.Name,
 		"meta", auxMeta,
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_unmarshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_unmarshal.go
index 8b9ec29e7..22bf66139 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_unmarshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_module_unmarshal.go
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ func (wrap *composeModule) UnmarshalYAML(n *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 
 	return y7s.EachMap(n, func(k, v *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 		switch k.Value {
+		case "moduleID":
+			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "module ID", &wrap.res.ID)
+
 		case "name":
 			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "module name", &wrap.res.Name)
 
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_marshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_marshal.go
index 9bfd8812f..e9b68dbb2 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_marshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_marshal.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func (c *composeNamespace) MarshalYAML() (interface{}, error) {
 	var err error
 
 	nn, err := makeMap(
+		"namespaceID", c.res.ID,
 		"name", c.res.Name,
 		"slug", c.res.Slug,
 		"enabled", c.res.Enabled,
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_unmarshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_unmarshal.go
index d9f663489..5ac03b9ce 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_unmarshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_namespace_unmarshal.go
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ func (wrap *composeNamespace) UnmarshalYAML(n *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 
 	return y7s.Each(n, func(k, v *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 		switch k.Value {
+		case "namespaceID":
+			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "namespace ID", &wrap.res.ID)
+
 		case "modules":
 			return v.Decode(&wrap.modules)
 
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_page_unmarshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_page_unmarshal.go
index 550057c02..4a852de38 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_page_unmarshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/compose_page_unmarshal.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func (wrap *composePage) UnmarshalYAML(n *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 
 	return y7s.EachMap(n, func(k, v *yaml.Node) (err error) {
 		switch strings.ToLower(k.Value) {
-		case "id", "pageid":
+		case "id", "pageid", "pageID":
 			return y7s.DecodeScalar(v, "page ID", &wrap.res.ID)
 
 		case "title":
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/decoder.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/decoder.go
index 0a60e8203..a193c373d 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/decoder.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/decoder.go
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ package yaml
 import (
 	"context"
 	"io"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/pkg/handle"
 	"github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/pkg/y7s"
 	. "github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/pkg/y7s"
 
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ type (
 	}
 )
 
+var (
+	validReference = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z1-9][0-9A-Za-z_\-.]*[A-Za-z0-9]$`)
+)
+
 func Decoder() *decoder {
 	return &decoder{}
 }
@@ -68,10 +72,14 @@ func decodeRef(n *yaml.Node, refType string, ref *string) error {
 		return y7s.NodeErr(n, "%s reference must be scalar", refType)
 	}
 
-	if !handle.IsValid(n.Value) {
-		return y7s.NodeErr(n, "%s reference must be a valid handle", refType)
+	if !IsValidRef(n.Value) {
+		return y7s.NodeErr(n, "%s reference must be a valid ID or Handle", refType)
 	}
 
 	*ref = n.Value
 	return nil
 }
+
+func IsValidRef(s string) bool {
+	return len(s) >= 2 && validReference.MatchString(s)
+}
diff --git a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/resource_translation_marshal.go b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/resource_translation_marshal.go
index f85439058..7474789fa 100644
--- a/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/resource_translation_marshal.go
+++ b/server/pkg/envoy/yaml/resource_translation_marshal.go
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	composeTypes "github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/compose/types"
 	"github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/pkg/envoy"
 	"github.com/cortezaproject/corteza/server/pkg/envoy/resource"
+	"github.com/spf13/cast"
 	"golang.org/x/text/language"
 )
 
@@ -92,7 +92,11 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p1 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeNamespaceErrUnresolved(res.RefRes.Identifiers)
 			}
-			p1ID = p1.Slug
+			if p1.Slug == "" {
+				p1ID = cast.ToString(p1.ID)
+			} else {
+				p1ID = p1.Slug
+			}
 		}
 
 		return fmt.Sprintf(composeTypes.NamespaceResourceTranslationTpl(), composeTypes.NamespaceResourceTranslationType, p1ID), nil
@@ -103,7 +107,12 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p0 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeNamespaceErrUnresolved(res.RefPath[0].Identifiers)
 			}
-			p0ID = p0.Slug
+
+			if p0.Slug == "" {
+				p0ID = cast.ToString(p0.ID)
+			} else {
+				p0ID = p0.Slug
+			}
 		}
 
 		if res.RefRes != nil {
@@ -111,7 +120,12 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p1 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeModuleErrUnresolved(res.RefRes.Identifiers)
 			}
-			p1ID = p1.Handle
+
+			if p1.Handle == "" {
+				p1ID = cast.ToString(p1.ID)
+			} else {
+				p1ID = p1.Handle
+			}
 		}
 
 		return fmt.Sprintf(composeTypes.ModuleResourceTranslationTpl(), composeTypes.ModuleResourceTranslationType, p0ID, p1ID), nil
@@ -122,7 +136,12 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p0 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeNamespaceErrUnresolved(res.RefPath[0].Identifiers)
 			}
-			p0ID = p0.Slug
+
+			if p0.Slug == "" {
+				p0ID = cast.ToString(p0.ID)
+			} else {
+				p0ID = p0.Slug
+			}
 		}
 
 		if res.RefRes != nil {
@@ -132,7 +151,7 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			}
 
 			if p1.Handle == "" {
-				p1ID = strconv.FormatUint(p1.ID, 10)
+				p1ID = cast.ToString(p1.ID)
 			} else {
 				p1ID = p1.Handle
 			}
@@ -145,13 +164,23 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 		if p0 == nil {
 			return "", resource.ComposeNamespaceErrUnresolved(res.RefPath[0].Identifiers)
 		}
-		p0ID = p0.Slug
+
+		if p0.Slug == "" {
+			p0ID = cast.ToString(p0.ID)
+		} else {
+			p0ID = p0.Slug
+		}
 
 		p1 := resource.FindComposeModule(state.ParentResources, res.RefPath[1].Identifiers)
 		if p1 == nil {
 			return "", resource.ComposeModuleErrUnresolved(res.RefPath[1].Identifiers)
 		}
-		p1ID = p1.Handle
+
+		if p1.Handle == "" {
+			p1ID = cast.ToString(p1.ID)
+		} else {
+			p1ID = p1.Handle
+		}
 
 		// field
 		f := resource.FindComposeModuleField(state.ParentResources, res.RefPath[1].Identifiers, res.RefRes.Identifiers)
@@ -168,7 +197,12 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p0 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeNamespaceErrUnresolved(res.RefPath[0].Identifiers)
 			}
-			p0ID = p0.Slug
+
+			if p0.Slug == "" {
+				p0ID = cast.ToString(p0.ID)
+			} else {
+				p0ID = p0.Slug
+			}
 		}
 
 		if res.RefRes != nil {
@@ -176,7 +210,12 @@ func (r *resourceTranslation) makeResourceTranslationResource(state *envoy.Resou
 			if p1 == nil {
 				return "", resource.ComposeChartErrUnresolved(res.RefRes.Identifiers)
 			}
-			p1ID = p1.Handle
+
+			if p1.Handle == "" {
+				p1ID = cast.ToString(p1.ID)
+			} else {
+				p1ID = p1.Handle
+			}
 		}
 
 		return fmt.Sprintf(composeTypes.ChartResourceTranslationTpl(), composeTypes.ChartResourceTranslationType, p0ID, p1ID), nil
diff --git a/server/system/model/models.gen.go b/server/system/model/models.gen.go
index 243cd39e0..be7f2036a 100644
--- a/server/system/model/models.gen.go
+++ b/server/system/model/models.gen.go
@@ -2328,10 +2328,10 @@ var Template = &dal.Model{
 		},
 
 		&dal.Index{
-			Ident:  "templates_uniqueLanguageHandle",
-			Type:   "BTREE",
-			Unique: true,
-
+			Ident:     "templates_uniqueLanguageHandle",
+			Type:      "BTREE",
+			Unique:    true,
+			Predicate: "handle != '' AND deleted_at IS NULL",
 			Fields: []*dal.IndexField{
 				{
 					AttributeIdent: "Language",
diff --git a/server/system/rest.yaml b/server/system/rest.yaml
index 51d0cf6b7..59ea43d73 100644
--- a/server/system/rest.yaml
+++ b/server/system/rest.yaml
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ endpoints:
     path: "/"
     parameters:
       post:
-      - { name: handle, type: "string",                 required: true }
+      - { name: handle, type: "string",                 }
       - { name: type,   type: "string",                 required: true }
       - { name: meta,   type: "types.ConnectionMeta",   required: true, parser: "types.ParseConnectionMeta" }
       - { name: config, type: "types.ConnectionConfig", required: true, parser: "types.ParseConnectionConfig" }
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ endpoints:
     parameters:
       path: [ { type: uint64, name: connectionID, required: true, title: "Connection ID" } ]
       post:
-      - { name: handle, type: "string",                 required: true }
+      - { name: handle, type: "string",                 }
       - { name: type,   type: "string",                 required: true }
       - { name: meta,   type: "types.ConnectionMeta",   required: true, parser: "types.ParseConnectionMeta" }
       - { name: config, type: "types.ConnectionConfig", required: true, parser: "types.ParseConnectionConfig" }
diff --git a/server/system/template.cue b/server/system/template.cue
index 2ae309eff..5c926aec2 100644
--- a/server/system/template.cue
+++ b/server/system/template.cue
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ template: {
 		indexes: {
 			"primary": { attribute: "id" }
 			"unique_language_handle": {
-				unique: true
 				fields: [
 					{ attribute: "language" },
 					{ attribute: "handle", modifier: [ "LOWERCASE" ] }
 				]
+				predicate: "handle != '' AND deleted_at IS NULL"
 			}
 		}
 	}