diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
index ba1658d188..a3e87e1acb 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ class file_mixin:
         """
         eid = kwargs.pop("id", -1)
 
-        e = self.create(type)
+        e = self.create(type, eid)
 
         # Create pairs of {attribute index, attribute value}.
         # Keyword arguments are mapped to their corresponding
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.cpp b/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.cpp
index 80582167d7..2ef3d4f8ea 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.cpp
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.cpp
@@ -797,6 +797,9 @@ express::Base IfcParse::impl::in_memory_file_storage::create(const IfcParse::dec
 
 express::Base IfcParse::IfcFile::create(const IfcParse::declaration* decl, int id) {
     if (id != -1) {
+        if (decl->as_entity() == nullptr) {
+            throw IfcParse::IfcException("Assigning instance id during creation is only valid for entity declarations");
+        }
         bool id_already_exists = false;
         try {
             if (check_existance_before_adding) {
@@ -808,6 +811,9 @@ express::Base IfcParse::IfcFile::create(const IfcParse::declaration* decl, int i
         if (id_already_exists) {
             throw IfcParse::IfcException("An instance with id " + boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(id) + " is already part of this file");
         }
+        if ((unsigned)id > max_id_) {
+            max_id_ = (unsigned)id;
+        }
     }
 
     return std::visit([&](auto& m) -> express::Base {