diff --git a/src/dbus.c b/src/dbus.c
index 9af7c2e..bbf5a12 100644
--- a/src/dbus.c
+++ b/src/dbus.c
@@ -124,10 +124,7 @@ static void on_get_capabilities(GDBusConnection *connection,
         g_dbus_connection_flush(connection, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
-static void on_notify(GDBusConnection *connection,
-                      const gchar *sender,
-                      GVariant *parameters,
-                      GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation)
+static notification *dbus_message_to_notification(const gchar *sender, GVariant *parameters)
 {
 
         gchar *appname = NULL;
@@ -265,6 +262,7 @@ static void on_notify(GDBusConnection *connection,
 
         notification *n = notification_create();
 
+        n->id = replaces_id;
         n->appname = appname;
         n->summary = summary;
         n->body = body;
@@ -287,7 +285,16 @@ static void on_notify(GDBusConnection *connection,
         n->colors[ColBG] = bgcolor;
 
         notification_init(n);
-        int id = queues_notification_insert(n, replaces_id);
+        return n;
+}
+
+static void on_notify(GDBusConnection *connection,
+                      const gchar *sender,
+                      GVariant *parameters,
+                      GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation)
+{
+        notification *n = dbus_message_to_notification(sender, parameters);
+        int id = queues_notification_insert(n);
 
         GVariant *reply = g_variant_new("(u)", id);
         g_dbus_method_invocation_return_value(invocation, reply);
diff --git a/src/dunst.c b/src/dunst.c
index 5d55467..c8e15ba 100644
--- a/src/dunst.c
+++ b/src/dunst.c
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ int dunst_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
         if (settings.startup_notification) {
                 notification *n = notification_create();
+                n->id = 0;
                 n->appname = g_strdup("dunst");
                 n->summary = g_strdup("startup");
                 n->body = g_strdup("dunst is up and running");
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ int dunst_main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 n->markup = MARKUP_NO;
                 n->urgency = URG_LOW;
                 notification_init(n);
-                queues_notification_insert(n, 0);
+                queues_notification_insert(n);
                 // we do not call wakeup now, wake_up does not work here yet
         }
 
diff --git a/src/queues.c b/src/queues.c
index fa9da51..924b646 100644
--- a/src/queues.c
+++ b/src/queues.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ unsigned int queues_length_history()
         return history->length;
 }
 
-int queues_notification_insert(notification *n, int replaces_id)
+int queues_notification_insert(notification *n)
 {
 
         /* do not display the message, if the message is empty */
@@ -72,12 +72,11 @@ int queues_notification_insert(notification *n, int replaces_id)
                 return 0;
         }
 
-        if (replaces_id == 0) {
+        if (n->id == 0) {
                 n->id = ++next_notification_id;
                 if (!settings.stack_duplicates || !queues_stack_duplicate(n))
                         g_queue_insert_sorted(waiting, n, notification_cmp_data, NULL);
         } else {
-                n->id = replaces_id;
                 if (!queues_notification_replace_id(n))
                         g_queue_insert_sorted(waiting, n, notification_cmp_data, NULL);
         }
diff --git a/src/queues.h b/src/queues.h
index f280cd5..dab452b 100644
--- a/src/queues.h
+++ b/src/queues.h
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ unsigned int queues_length_history();
  * Insert a fully initialized notification into queues
  * Respects stack_duplicates, and notification replacement
  *
- * If replaces_id != 0, n replaces notification with id replaces_id
- * If replaces_id == 0, n gets occupies a new position
+ * If n->id != 0, n replaces notification with id n->id
+ * If n->id == 0, n gets a new id assigned
  *
  * Returns the assigned notification id
  * If returned id == 0, the message was dismissed
  */
-int queues_notification_insert(notification *n, int replaces_id);
+int queues_notification_insert(notification *n);
 
 /*
  * Replace the notification which matches the id field of