diff --git a/src/core/server-connect-rec.h b/src/core/server-connect-rec.h
index f1b3d075..bf54f267 100644
--- a/src/core/server-connect-rec.h
+++ b/src/core/server-connect-rec.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ int proxy_port;
 char *proxy_string, *proxy_password;
 
 unsigned short family; /* 0 = don't care, AF_INET or AF_INET6 */
+char *tag; /* try to keep this tag when connected to server */
 char *address;
 int port;
 char *chatnet;
diff --git a/src/core/servers-reconnect.c b/src/core/servers-reconnect.c
index a9491f92..32d8195a 100644
--- a/src/core/servers-reconnect.c
+++ b/src/core/servers-reconnect.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ static int reconnect_time;
 
 void reconnect_save_status(SERVER_CONNECT_REC *conn, SERVER_REC *server)
 {
+        g_free_not_null(conn->tag);
+	conn->tag = g_strdup(server->tag);
+
 	g_free_not_null(conn->away_reason);
 	conn->away_reason = !server->usermode_away ? NULL :
 		g_strdup(server->away_reason);
@@ -133,6 +136,8 @@ server_connect_copy_skeleton(SERVER_CONNECT_REC *src, int connect_info)
 	dest->proxy_string = g_strdup(src->proxy_string);
 	dest->proxy_password = g_strdup(src->proxy_password);
 
+	dest->tag = g_strdup(src->tag);
+
 	if (connect_info) {
                 dest->family = src->family;
 		dest->address = g_strdup(src->address);
@@ -224,7 +229,7 @@ static void sig_reconnect(SERVER_REC *server)
 	}
 
 	/* always try to first connect to the first on the list where we
-	   haven't got unsuccessful connection attempts for the last half
+	   haven't got unsuccessful connection attempts for the past half
 	   an hour. */
 
 	now = time(NULL);
@@ -385,13 +390,11 @@ static void cmd_reconnect(const char *data, SERVER_REC *server)
 static void cmd_disconnect(const char *data, SERVER_REC *server)
 {
 	RECONNECT_REC *rec;
-	int tag;
 
 	if (g_strncasecmp(data, "RECON-", 6) != 0)
 		return; /* handle only reconnection removing */
 
-	rec = sscanf(data+6, "%d", &tag) == 1 && tag > 0 ?
-		reconnect_find_tag(tag) : NULL;
+	rec = reconnect_find_tag(atoi(data+6));
 
 	if (rec == NULL)
 		signal_emit("server reconnect not found", 1, data);
diff --git a/src/core/servers-reconnect.h b/src/core/servers-reconnect.h
index b51486f6..bf3e640d 100644
--- a/src/core/servers-reconnect.h
+++ b/src/core/servers-reconnect.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #define FAILED_RECONNECT_WAIT (60*30)
 
 typedef struct {
-	int tag;
+        int tag;
 	time_t next_connect;
 
 	SERVER_CONNECT_REC *conn;
diff --git a/src/core/servers.c b/src/core/servers.c
index f74e7f58..0707645c 100644
--- a/src/core/servers.c
+++ b/src/core/servers.c
@@ -101,12 +101,23 @@ static char *server_create_tag(SERVER_CONNECT_REC *conn)
 	char *tag;
 	int num;
 
-        g_return_val_if_fail(IS_SERVER_CONNECT(conn), NULL);
+	g_return_val_if_fail(IS_SERVER_CONNECT(conn), NULL);
 
 	tag = conn->chatnet != NULL && *conn->chatnet != '\0' ?
 		g_strdup(conn->chatnet) :
 		server_create_address_tag(conn->address);
 
+	if (conn->tag != NULL && server_find_tag(conn->tag) == NULL &&
+	    strncmp(conn->tag, tag, strlen(tag)) == 0) {
+		/* use the existing tag if it begins with the same ID -
+		   this is useful when you have several connections to
+		   same server and you want to keep the same tags with
+		   the servers (or it would cause problems when rejoining
+		   /LAYOUT SAVEd channels). */
+		return g_strdup(conn->tag);
+	}
+
+
 	/* then just append numbers after tag until unused is found.. */
 	str = g_string_new(tag);
 	for (num = 2; server_find_tag(str->str) != NULL; num++)
@@ -410,6 +421,7 @@ void server_connect_free(SERVER_CONNECT_REC *conn)
 	g_free_not_null(conn->proxy_string);
 	g_free_not_null(conn->proxy_password);
 
+	g_free_not_null(conn->tag);
 	g_free_not_null(conn->address);
 	g_free_not_null(conn->chatnet);