diff --git a/addDroplet.go b/addDroplet.go
index 3e94ec5..9c2c266 100644
--- a/addDroplet.go
+++ b/addDroplet.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	pb "go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/virtbuf"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 	"libvirt.org/go/libvirtxml"
@@ -28,6 +29,12 @@ func addDomainDroplet(domcfg *libvirtxml.Domain) (*DropletT, error) {
 	d.pb.StartState = pb.DropletState_OFF
 	d.CurrentState = pb.DropletState_UNKNOWN
 
+	// if the domcfg doesn't have a uuid, make a new one here
+	if d.pb.Uuid == "" {
+		u := uuid.New()
+		d.pb.Uuid = u.String()
+	}
+
 	me.droplets = append(me.droplets, d)
 	me.changed = true
 
diff --git a/libvirtxml.go b/libvirtxml.go
index 2584a54..f4f8e4a 100644
--- a/libvirtxml.go
+++ b/libvirtxml.go
@@ -646,8 +646,17 @@ func dumpNonStandardXML(domcfg *libvirtxml.Domain) {
 		os.Exit(-1)
 	}
 
+	final := string(updatedXML)
+	if final == "" {
+		// things seem pretty standard
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Print the updated XML to verify
+	log.Info("dumpNonStandardXML(domcfg) START")
 	fmt.Println(string(updatedXML))
+	log.Info("dumpNonStandardXML(domcfg) END")
+	me.changed = true
 	// os.Exit(-1)
 }