diff --git a/src/LayerComposition.cpp b/src/LayerComposition.cpp
index 349934b..f32e5c2 100644
--- a/src/LayerComposition.cpp
+++ b/src/LayerComposition.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ LayerID LayerComposition::addLayer(const ComboIdentifier & identifier,
          layer->setProps(props);
          layer->setup();
          if(layerID == ""){
-             layerID = layer->getId();
+             layerID = getNextFreeLayerID();
          }else{
              layer->setId(layerID);
          }
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ LayerID LayerComposition::addLayer(const ComboIdentifier & identifier,
          layer->setProps(props);
          layer->setup();
          if(layerID == ""){
-             layerID = layer->getId();
+             layerID = getNextFreeLayerID();
          }else{
              layer->setId(layerID);
          }
@@ -254,5 +254,16 @@ void LayerComposition::setMsdfUniform1fv(const vector <string> & names,
         }
     }
 }
+const LayerID LayerComposition::getNextFreeLayerID() const {
+    for(int i = 0; i < layers.size(); i++){
+        LayerID possible_id = "layer-" + std::to_string(i);
+        if(std::find(layerOrder.begin(),
+                     layerOrder.end(),
+                     possible_id) == layerOrder.end()){
+            return possible_id;
+        }
+    }
+    return "layer-" + std::to_string(layers.size());
+}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/LayerComposition.h b/src/LayerComposition.h
index ac76ec9..119d7ad 100644
--- a/src/LayerComposition.h
+++ b/src/LayerComposition.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class LayerComposition {
         void setLayerOrder(const vector <LayerID> & layerOrder);
         void setMsdfUniform1fv(const vector <string> & names,
                                const vector <float> & values);
+        const LayerID getNextFreeLayerID() const;
     private:
         VFlipState vFlipState = V_FLIP_UNKNOWN;
         unordered_map <LayerID, shared_ptr <Layer> > layers;