diff --git a/server/ente/userentity/entity.go b/server/ente/userentity/entity.go
index ede9b8a0dd..904b846d1a 100644
--- a/server/ente/userentity/entity.go
+++ b/server/ente/userentity/entity.go
@@ -69,6 +69,26 @@ type EntityDataRequest struct {
 	Type          EntityType `json:"type" binding:"required"`
 	EncryptedData string     `json:"encryptedData" binding:"required"`
 	Header        string     `json:"header" binding:"required"`
+	ID            *string    `json:"id"` // Optional ID, if not provided a new ID will be generated
+}
+
+func (edr *EntityDataRequest) IsValid(userID int64) error {
+	if err := edr.Type.IsValid(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	switch edr.Type {
+	case SmartAlbum:
+		if edr.ID == nil {
+			return ente.NewBadRequestWithMessage("ID is required for SmartAlbum entity type")
+		}
+		// check if ID starts with sa_userid_ or not
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(*edr.ID, fmt.Sprintf("sa_%d_", userID)) {
+			return ente.NewBadRequestWithMessage(fmt.Sprintf("ID %s is not valid for SmartAlbum entity type", *edr.ID))
+		}
+		return nil
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
 }
 
 // UpdateEntityDataRequest updates the current entity
diff --git a/server/pkg/api/userentity.go b/server/pkg/api/userentity.go
index acda89a09e..e8aa043b5b 100644
--- a/server/pkg/api/userentity.go
+++ b/server/pkg/api/userentity.go
@@ -61,10 +61,6 @@ func (h *UserEntityHandler) CreateEntity(c *gin.Context) {
 			stacktrace.Propagate(ente.ErrBadRequest, fmt.Sprintf("Request binding failed %s", err)))
 		return
 	}
-	if err := request.Type.IsValid(); err != nil {
-		handler.Error(c, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Invalid EntityType"))
-		return
-	}
 	resp, err := h.Controller.CreateEntity(c, request)
 	if err != nil {
 		handler.Error(c, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Failed to create CreateEntityKey"))
diff --git a/server/pkg/controller/userentity/controller.go b/server/pkg/controller/userentity/controller.go
index f4fb1c8b9b..38b99fba22 100644
--- a/server/pkg/controller/userentity/controller.go
+++ b/server/pkg/controller/userentity/controller.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ func (c *Controller) GetKey(ctx *gin.Context, req model.GetEntityKeyRequest) (*m
 // CreateEntity stores entity data for the given type
 func (c *Controller) CreateEntity(ctx *gin.Context, req model.EntityDataRequest) (*model.EntityData, error) {
 	userID := auth.GetUserID(ctx.Request.Header)
+	if err := req.IsValid(userID); err != nil {
+		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "invalid EntityDataRequest")
+	}
 	id, err := c.Repo.Create(ctx, userID, req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "failed to createEntity")
diff --git a/server/pkg/repo/userentity/data.go b/server/pkg/repo/userentity/data.go
index fa6457ebfa..45f59d3051 100644
--- a/server/pkg/repo/userentity/data.go
+++ b/server/pkg/repo/userentity/data.go
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ import (
 
 // Create inserts a new  entry
 func (r *Repository) Create(ctx context.Context, userID int64, entry model.EntityDataRequest) (string, error) {
-	idPrt, err := entry.Type.GetNewID()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", stacktrace.Propagate(err, "failed to generate new id")
+	var id string
+	if entry.ID != nil {
+		id = *entry.ID
+	} else {
+		idPrt, err := entry.Type.GetNewID()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", stacktrace.Propagate(err, "failed to generate new id")
+		}
+		id = *idPrt
 	}
-	id := *idPrt
-	err = r.DB.QueryRow(`INSERT into entity_data(
+	err := r.DB.QueryRow(`INSERT into entity_data(
                          id,
                          user_id,
                          type,