diff --git a/src/ipc.rs b/src/ipc.rs
index 68c987f4e..01f4cda6e 100644
--- a/src/ipc.rs
+++ b/src/ipc.rs
@@ -1689,19 +1689,24 @@ pub fn clear_trusted_devices() {
 }
 
 pub fn get_id() -> String {
+    // An empty id may come from a process that took over the main IPC with a
+    // config scope that has no id yet (e.g. a user GUI that became the server
+    // while the installed service was restarting). Treat it as no answer,
+    // otherwise the empty id is adopted below and wipes the local one.
     if let Ok(Some(v)) = get_config("id") {
-        // update salt also, so that next time reinstallation not causing first-time auto-login failure
-        if let Ok(Some(v2)) = get_config("salt") {
-            Config::set_salt(&v2);
+        if !v.is_empty() {
+            // update salt also, so that next time reinstallation not causing first-time auto-login failure
+            if let Ok(Some(v2)) = get_config("salt") {
+                Config::set_salt(&v2);
+            }
+            if v != Config::get_id() {
+                Config::set_key_confirmed(false);
+                Config::set_id(&v);
+            }
+            return v;
         }
-        if v != Config::get_id() {
-            Config::set_key_confirmed(false);
-            Config::set_id(&v);
-        }
-        v
-    } else {
-        Config::get_id()
     }
+    Config::get_id()
 }
 
 pub async fn get_rendezvous_server(ms_timeout: u64) -> (String, Vec<String>) {