diff --git a/tests/utils/custom.json b/tests/utils/custom.json
index 88134caa78..1febe8c54a 100644
--- a/tests/utils/custom.json
+++ b/tests/utils/custom.json
@@ -40,6 +40,24 @@
           "evaluate": true
         }
       }
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "JSON_P12",
+      "title": "JSON Custom profile",
+      "rules": {
+        "R3": {
+          "evaluate": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "title": "JSON Custom profile with no given id",
+      "base_profile_id": "P1",
+      "rules": {
+        "R3": {
+          "evaluate": true
+        }
+      }
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/tests/utils/custom_no_ids.json b/tests/utils/custom_no_ids.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..979478c73e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils/custom_no_ids.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "profiles": [
+    {
+      "title": "JSON Tailored Profile P11",
+      "rules": {
+        "R3": {
+          "evaluate": true
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_autotailor.py b/tests/utils/test_autotailor.py
index f00bcf7498..68e17634b1 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_autotailor.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_autotailor.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 import importlib
+import json
+import os.path
+import pathlib
+
 import pytest
 
 NS = "http://checklists.nist.gov/xccdf/1.2"
@@ -94,3 +98,12 @@ def test_refine_rule():
         "'high'.")
     assert p.rule_refinements(fav, "severity") == "high"
     assert p.rule_refinements(fav, "role") == "full"
+
+def test_no_id():
+    p = autotailor.Profile()
+    profile_dict = None
+    file_path = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath("custom_no_ids.json")
+    with open(file_path) as fp:
+        profile_dict = json.load(fp)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        p.import_json_tailoring_profile(profile_dict)
diff --git a/utils/autotailor b/utils/autotailor
index 3c3e994eaa..9d0754f4f2 100755
--- a/utils/autotailor
+++ b/utils/autotailor
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import json
 
 
 NS = "http://checklists.nist.gov/xccdf/1.2"
+NS_PREFIX = "xccdf-1.2"
 DEFAULT_PROFILE_SUFFIX = "_customized"
 DEFAULT_REVERSE_DNS = "org.ssgproject.content"
 ROLES = ["full", "unscored", "unchecked"]
@@ -267,7 +268,8 @@ class Profile:
     def to_xml(self, root):
         profile = ET.SubElement(root, "{%s}Profile" % NS)
         profile.set("id", self._full_profile_id(self.profile_id))
-        profile.set("extends", self._full_profile_id(self.extends))
+        if self.extends:
+            profile.set("extends", self._full_profile_id(self.extends))
 
         # Title has to be there due to the schema definition.
         title = ET.SubElement(profile, "{%s}title" % NS)
@@ -284,9 +286,10 @@ class Profile:
         self.value_refinements_to_xml(profile)
 
     def import_json_tailoring_profile(self, profile_dict):
-        self.extends = profile_dict["base_profile_id"]
-
-        self.profile_id = profile_dict.get("id", self.profile_id)
+        if not profile_dict.get("base_profile_id") and not profile_dict.get("id"):
+            raise ValueError("You must define a base_profile_id or an id")
+        self.extends = profile_dict.get("base_profile_id")
+        self.profile_id = profile_dict.get("id")
         self.profile_title = profile_dict.get("title", self.profile_title)
 
         self._import_groups_from_tailoring(profile_dict)
@@ -440,6 +443,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser = get_parser()
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    ET.register_namespace(NS_PREFIX, NS)
+
     if not args.profile and not args.json_tailoring:
         parser.error("one of the following arguments has to be provided: "
                      "BASE_PROFILE_ID or --json-tailoring JSON_TAILORING_FILENAME")