diff --git a/pkg/spdx/builder.go b/pkg/spdx/builder.go
index 1e2d6a47..045a4363 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/builder.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/builder.go
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ func (builder *defaultDocBuilderImpl) GenerateDoc(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "generating package from directory")
 		}
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(pkg)
 
 		if err := doc.AddPackage(pkg); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding directory package to document")
@@ -204,6 +205,8 @@ func (builder *defaultDocBuilderImpl) GenerateDoc(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "generating SPDX package from image ref %s", i)
 		}
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(p)
+		doc.ensureUniquePeerIDs(p.GetRelationships())
 		if err := doc.AddPackage(p); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding package to document")
 		}
@@ -211,11 +214,13 @@ func (builder *defaultDocBuilderImpl) GenerateDoc(
 
 	// Process OCI image archives
 	for _, tb := range genopts.Tarballs {
-		logrus.Infof("Processing tarball %s", tb)
+		logrus.Infof("Processing image archive %s", tb)
 		p, err := spdx.PackageFromImageTarball(tb)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "generating tarball package")
 		}
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(p)
+		doc.ensureUniquePeerIDs(p.GetRelationships())
 		if err := doc.AddPackage(p); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding package to document")
 		}
@@ -228,6 +233,8 @@ func (builder *defaultDocBuilderImpl) GenerateDoc(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "creating spdx package from archive")
 		}
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(p)
+		doc.ensureUniquePeerIDs(p.GetRelationships())
 		if err := doc.AddPackage(p); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding package to document")
 		}
@@ -240,6 +247,7 @@ func (builder *defaultDocBuilderImpl) GenerateDoc(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding file")
 		}
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(f)
 		if err := doc.AddFile(f); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "adding file to document")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/document.go b/pkg/spdx/document.go
index a4bb9b9f..f763b36c 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/document.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/document.go
@@ -175,12 +175,13 @@ func (d *Document) AddPackage(pkg *Package) error {
 
 	if pkg.SPDXID() == "" {
 		pkg.BuildID(pkg.Name)
+		d.ensureUniqueElementID(pkg)
 	}
 	if pkg.SPDXID() == "" {
-		return errors.New("package id is needed to add a new package")
+		return errors.New("package ID is needed to add a new package")
 	}
 	if _, ok := d.Packages[pkg.SPDXID()]; ok {
-		return errors.New("a package named " + pkg.SPDXID() + " already exists in the document")
+		return errors.Errorf("a package with ID %s already exists in the document", pkg.SPDXID())
 	}
 
 	d.Packages[pkg.SPDXID()] = pkg
@@ -278,6 +279,7 @@ func (d *Document) AddFile(file *File) error {
 		}
 		file.ID = "SPDXRef-File-" + fmt.Sprintf("%x", h.Sum(nil))
 	}
+	d.ensureUniqueElementID(file)
 	d.Files[file.ID] = file
 	return nil
 }
@@ -398,3 +400,75 @@ func (d *Document) WriteProvenanceStatement(opts *ProvenanceOptions, path string
 		"writing sbom as provenance statement",
 	)
 }
+
+// ensureUniquePackageID takes a string and checks if
+// there is another string with the same name in the document.
+// If there is one, it will append a digit until a unique name
+// is found.
+func (d *Document) ensureUniqueElementID(o Object) {
+	newID := o.SPDXID()
+	i := 0
+	for {
+		// Check if there us already an element with the same ID
+		if el := d.GetElementByID(newID); el == nil {
+			if o.SPDXID() != newID {
+				logrus.Infof(
+					"Element name changed from %s to %s to ensure it is unique",
+					o.SPDXID(), newID,
+				)
+			}
+			o.SetSPDXID(newID)
+			break
+		}
+		i++
+		newID = fmt.Sprintf("%s-%04d", o.SPDXID(), i)
+	}
+}
+
+// ensureUniquePeerIDs gets a relationship collection and ensures all peers
+// have unique IDs
+func (d *Document) ensureUniquePeerIDs(rels *[]*Relationship) {
+	// First, ensure peer names are unique among themselves
+	seen := map[string]struct{}{}
+	for _, rel := range *rels {
+		if rel.Peer == nil || rel.Peer.SPDXID() == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		testName := rel.Peer.SPDXID()
+		i := 0
+		for {
+			if _, ok := seen[testName]; !ok {
+				rel.Peer.SetSPDXID(testName)
+				seen[testName] = struct{}{}
+				break
+			}
+			i++
+			testName = fmt.Sprintf("%s-%04d", rel.Peer.SPDXID(), i)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// And then check against the document
+	for _, rel := range *rels {
+		if rel.Peer == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		d.ensureUniqueElementID(rel.Peer)
+	}
+}
+
+// GetPackageByID queries the packages to search for a specific entity by name
+// note that this method returns a copy of the entity if found.
+func (d *Document) GetElementByID(id string) Object {
+	seen := map[string]struct{}{}
+	for _, p := range d.Packages {
+		if sub := recursiveSearch(id, p, &seen); sub != nil {
+			return sub
+		}
+	}
+	for _, f := range d.Files {
+		if sub := recursiveSearch(id, f, &seen); sub != nil {
+			return sub
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/document_unit_test.go b/pkg/spdx/document_unit_test.go
index 2d6e8f8f..719212b6 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/document_unit_test.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/document_unit_test.go
@@ -118,3 +118,54 @@ func compareSubjects(t *testing.T, statement1, statement2 *provenance.Statement)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestEnsureUniqueElementID(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := NewDocument()
+	name := "same-name"
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		subp := NewPackage()
+		subp.SetSPDXID(name)
+
+		// Passing the subpackages through nsureUniquePackageID
+		// should rename the last two, but not the first one
+		doc.ensureUniqueElementID(subp)
+		require.NoError(t, doc.AddPackage(subp))
+
+		if i == 0 {
+			require.Equal(t, name, subp.SPDXID())
+		} else {
+			require.NotEqual(t, name, subp.SPDXID())
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureUniquePeerIDs(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := NewDocument()
+	name := "same-name"
+
+	// Add one node with the name
+	namePkg := NewPackage()
+	namePkg.SetSPDXID(name)
+
+	// Build a package with 3 peers all with the same name
+	p := NewPackage()
+	p.SetSPDXID("parentNode")
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		subp := NewPackage()
+		subp.SetSPDXID(name)
+		require.NoError(t, p.AddPackage(subp))
+	}
+
+	// Pass the package with its peers through ensureUniquePeerIDs
+	doc.ensureUniquePeerIDs(p.GetRelationships())
+
+	// Now, they should all be different
+	seenNames := map[string]struct{}{}
+	rels := p.GetRelationships()
+	for _, rel := range *rels {
+		logrus.Info("Checking " + rel.Peer.SPDXID())
+		_, ok := seenNames[rel.Peer.SPDXID()]
+		require.False(t, ok, rel.Peer.SPDXID()+" should be unique")
+		seenNames[rel.Peer.SPDXID()] = struct{}{}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/file.go b/pkg/spdx/file.go
index 1e784f36..f3171032 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/file.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/file.go
@@ -190,3 +190,13 @@ func getFileContentType(path string) (string, error) {
 	contentType := http.DetectContentType(buffer)
 	return contentType, nil
 }
+
+// GetElementByID search the file and its peers looking for the
+// specified SPDX id. If found, the function returns a copy of
+// the object identified by the SPDX-ID provided
+func (f *File) GetElementByID(id string) Object {
+	if f.SPDXID() == id {
+		return f
+	}
+	return recursiveSearch(id, f, &map[string]struct{}{})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/object.go b/pkg/spdx/object.go
index ed76c031..b7a100ee 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/object.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/object.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import (
 // objects. Currently this includes files and packages.
 type Object interface {
 	SPDXID() string
+	SetSPDXID(string)
 	ReadSourceFile(string) error
 	Render() (string, error)
 	BuildID(seeds ...string)
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ type Object interface {
 	GetRelationships() *[]*Relationship
 	ToProvenanceSubject() *intoto.Subject
 	getProvenanceSubjects(opts *ProvenanceOptions, seen *map[string]struct{}) []intoto.Subject
+	GetElementByID(string) Object
 }
 
 type Entity struct {
@@ -77,6 +79,11 @@ func (e *Entity) SPDXID() string {
 	return e.ID
 }
 
+// SPDXID returns the SPDX reference string for the object
+func (e *Entity) SetSPDXID(id string) {
+	e.ID = id
+}
+
 // BuildID sets the file ID, optionally from a series of strings
 func (e *Entity) BuildID(seeds ...string) {
 	if len(seeds) <= 1 {
@@ -269,3 +276,6 @@ mloop:
 	}
 	return ret
 }
+
+// GetElementByID nil function to be overridden by package and file
+func (e *Entity) GetElementByID(string) Object { return nil }
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/package.go b/pkg/spdx/package.go
index 040c1be7..897fa9e3 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/package.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/package.go
@@ -388,6 +388,8 @@ func (p *Package) Draw(builder *strings.Builder, o *DrawingOptions, depth int, s
 	}
 }
 
+// ReadSourceFile reads a file from the filesystem and assigns its properties
+// to the package metadata
 func (p *Package) ReadSourceFile(path string) error {
 	if err := p.Entity.ReadSourceFile(path); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -397,3 +399,12 @@ func (p *Package) ReadSourceFile(path string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// GetElementByID search the package and its peers looking for the specified SPDX
+// id. If found, the function returns a copy of the object
+func (p *Package) GetElementByID(id string) Object {
+	if p.SPDXID() == id {
+		return p
+	}
+	return recursiveSearch(id, p, &map[string]struct{}{})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/spdx.go b/pkg/spdx/spdx.go
index d5ad1167..cb0c520e 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/spdx.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/spdx.go
@@ -246,3 +246,30 @@ func Banner() string {
 	}
 	return string(d)
 }
+
+// recursiveSearch is a function that recursively searches an object's peers
+// to find the specified SPDX ID. If found, returns a copy of the object.
+// nolint:gocritic // seen is a pointer recursively populated
+func recursiveSearch(id string, o Object, seen *map[string]struct{}) Object {
+	if o.SPDXID() == id {
+		return o
+	}
+	for _, rel := range *o.GetRelationships() {
+		if rel.Peer == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if _, ok := (*seen)[o.SPDXID()]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if rel.Peer.SPDXID() == id {
+			return rel.Peer
+		}
+
+		if peerObject := recursiveSearch(id, rel.Peer, seen); peerObject != nil {
+			return peerObject
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/spdx/spdx_unit_test.go b/pkg/spdx/spdx_unit_test.go
index f7369847..374ca897 100644
--- a/pkg/spdx/spdx_unit_test.go
+++ b/pkg/spdx/spdx_unit_test.go
@@ -402,3 +402,53 @@ func TestIgnorePatterns(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, p, 4)
 }
+
+func TestRecursiveSearch(t *testing.T) {
+	p := NewPackage()
+	p.SetSPDXID("p-top")
+
+	// Lets nest 3 packages
+	packages := []*Package{}
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		subp := NewPackage()
+		subp.SetSPDXID(fmt.Sprintf("subpackage-%d", i))
+		packages = append(packages, subp)
+	}
+	for i, sp := range packages {
+		if i > 0 {
+			require.NoError(t, packages[i-1].AddPackage(sp))
+		}
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, p.AddPackage(packages[0]))
+
+	// This functions searches 3 packages with the same prefix:
+	checkSubPackages := func(p *Package, radix string) {
+		for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+			require.NotNil(t, p.GetElementByID(fmt.Sprintf("%s-%d", radix, i)),
+				fmt.Sprintf("searching for %s", radix),
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	checkSubPackages(p, "subpackage")
+	// Non existent packages should not return an element
+	require.Nil(t, p.GetElementByID("subpackage-10000000"))
+
+	// Now bifurcating the document structure adding dependencies should
+	// not alter those conditions.
+
+	// Lets add 3 dependencies to one of the nested packages
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		subp := NewPackage()
+		subp.SetSPDXID(fmt.Sprintf("dep-%d", i))
+		require.NoError(t, p.GetElementByID("subpackage-1").(*Package).AddPackage(subp))
+	}
+
+	// Same tests should still pass:
+	checkSubPackages(p, "subpackage")
+	// Non existent packages should not return an element
+	require.Nil(t, p.GetElementByID("subpackage-10000000"))
+
+	// But also dependencies should be found
+	checkSubPackages(p, "dep")
+}