diff --git a/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.cpp b/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.cpp
index 9ae349e753aea..b57a8f1cbef8b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.cpp
@@ -89,21 +89,15 @@ void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::reset()
 }
 
 // handle initializing the server with its own node ID and unique ID
-void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::init_server(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t own_unique_id[], uint8_t own_unique_id_len)
+void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::init_server(uint8_t own_node_id, const uint8_t own_unique_id[], uint8_t own_unique_id_len)
 {
     WITH_SEMAPHORE(sem);
 
-    // ensure that its node ID and unique ID match in the database
-    const uint8_t stored_own_node_id = find_node_id(own_unique_id, own_unique_id_len);
-    static bool reset_done;
-    if (stored_own_node_id != node_id) { // cannot match if its unique ID was not found
-        // we have no record of its unique ID, do a reset
-        if (!reset_done) {
-            // only reset once per power cycle else we could wipe other servers' registrations
-            reset();
-            reset_done = true;
-        }
-        create_registration(node_id, own_unique_id, own_unique_id_len);
+    // register server node ID and unique ID if not correctly registered. note
+    // that ardupilot mixes the node ID into the unique ID so changing the node
+    // ID will "leak" the old node ID
+    if (own_node_id != find_node_id(own_unique_id, own_unique_id_len)) {
+        register_uid(own_node_id, own_unique_id, own_unique_id_len);
     }
 }
 
@@ -118,12 +112,7 @@ bool AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::handle_node_info(uint8_t source_node_id,
             return true; // so raise as duplicate
         }
     } else {
-        // we don't know about this node ID, let's register it
-        uint8_t prev_node_id = find_node_id(unique_id, 16); // have we registered this unique ID under a different node ID?
-        if (prev_node_id != 0) {
-            delete_registration(prev_node_id); // yes, delete old registration
-        }
-        create_registration(source_node_id, unique_id, 16);
+        register_uid(source_node_id, unique_id, 16); // we don't know about this node ID, let's register it
     }
     return false; // not a duplicate
 }
@@ -205,6 +194,17 @@ void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::compute_uid_hash(NodeRecord &record, cons
     }
 }
 
+// register a given unique ID to a given node ID, deleting any existing registration for the unique ID
+void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::register_uid(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t unique_id[], uint8_t size)
+{
+    uint8_t prev_node_id = find_node_id(unique_id, size); // have we registered this unique ID under a different node ID?
+    if (prev_node_id != 0) {
+        delete_registration(prev_node_id); // yes, delete old node ID's registration
+    }
+    // overwrite an existing registration with this node ID, if any
+    create_registration(node_id, unique_id, size);
+}
+
 // create the registration for the given node ID and set its record's unique ID
 void AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server::Database::create_registration(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t unique_id[], uint8_t size)
 {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.h b/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.h
index 9557d28ace5da..65b94ef8ed212 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_DroneCAN/AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server
         }
 
         // handle initializing the server with its own node ID and unique ID
-        void init_server(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t own_unique_id[], uint8_t own_unique_id_len);
+        void init_server(uint8_t own_node_id, const uint8_t own_unique_id[], uint8_t own_unique_id_len);
 
         // handle processing the node info message. returns true if from a duplicate node
         bool handle_node_info(uint8_t source_node_id, const uint8_t unique_id[]);
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ class AP_DroneCAN_DNA_Server
         // fill the given record with the hash of the given unique ID
         void compute_uid_hash(NodeRecord &record, const uint8_t unique_id[], uint8_t size) const;
 
+        // register a given unique ID to a given node ID, deleting any existing registration for the unique ID
+        void register_uid(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t unique_id[], uint8_t size);
+
         // create the registration for the given node ID and set its record's unique ID
         void create_registration(uint8_t node_id, const uint8_t unique_id[], uint8_t size);