diff --git a/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.cpp b/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.cpp
index b6f4fe6c1d..810129a81f 100644
--- a/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ uint32_t ModelItem::getNextCreatorTokenID() {
     return creatorTokenID;
 }
 
+uint32_t ModelItem::getNextModelItemID() {
+    uint32_t modelID = _nextID;
+    _nextID++;
+    return modelID;
+}
+
 void ModelItem::handleAddModelResponse(const QByteArray& packet) {
     const unsigned char* dataAt = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(packet.data());
     int numBytesPacketHeader = numBytesForPacketHeader(packet);
@@ -70,31 +76,10 @@ ModelItem::ModelItem() {
 }
 
 ModelItem::ModelItem(const ModelItemID& modelItemID, const ModelItemProperties& properties) {
-    _id = modelItemID.id;
     _creatorTokenID = modelItemID.creatorTokenID;
-
-    // init values with defaults before calling setProperties
-    uint64_t now = usecTimestampNow();
-    _lastEdited = now;
-    _lastUpdated = now;
-
-    _position = glm::vec3(0,0,0);
-    _radius = 0;
-    rgbColor noColor = { 0, 0, 0 };
-    memcpy(_color, noColor, sizeof(_color));
-    _shouldDie = false;
-    _modelURL = MODEL_DEFAULT_MODEL_URL;
-    _modelRotation = MODEL_DEFAULT_MODEL_ROTATION;
     
-    // animation related
-    _animationURL = MODEL_DEFAULT_ANIMATION_URL;
-    _animationIsPlaying = false;
-    _animationFrameIndex = 0.0f;
-    _animationFPS = MODEL_DEFAULT_ANIMATION_FPS;
-    _glowLevel = 0.0f;
-
-    _jointMappingCompleted = false;
-    _lastAnimated = now;
+    rgbColor defaultColor = { 0, 0, 0 };
+    init(glm::vec3(), 0.0f, defaultColor, modelItemID.id);
     
     setProperties(properties);
 }
diff --git a/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.h b/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.h
index 9a558f2ef4..563d394419 100644
--- a/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.h
+++ b/libraries/models/src/ModelItem.h
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ public:
     // these methods allow you to create models, and later edit them.
     static uint32_t getIDfromCreatorTokenID(uint32_t creatorTokenID);
     static uint32_t getNextCreatorTokenID();
+    static uint32_t getNextModelItemID();
     static void handleAddModelResponse(const QByteArray& packet);
 
     void mapJoints(const QStringList& modelJointNames);
diff --git a/libraries/models/src/ModelsScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/models/src/ModelsScriptingInterface.cpp
index 7e08571fe5..f4cbf14086 100644
--- a/libraries/models/src/ModelsScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/models/src/ModelsScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ ModelItemID ModelsScriptingInterface::addModel(const ModelItemProperties& proper
 
     // The application will keep track of creatorTokenID
     uint32_t creatorTokenID = ModelItem::getNextCreatorTokenID();
+    uint32_t modelID = ModelItem::getNextModelItemID();
 
-    ModelItemID id(NEW_MODEL, creatorTokenID, false );
+    ModelItemID id(modelID, creatorTokenID, false );
 
     // queue the packet
     queueModelMessage(PacketTypeModelAddOrEdit, id, properties);