diff --git a/code/ColladaLoader.cpp b/code/ColladaLoader.cpp
index a3516f9c4..959a905ae 100644
--- a/code/ColladaLoader.cpp
+++ b/code/ColladaLoader.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ void ColladaLoader::SetupProperties(const Importer* pImp)
 {
     noSkeletonMesh = pImp->GetPropertyInteger(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_NO_SKELETON_MESHES,0) != 0;
     ignoreUpDirection = pImp->GetPropertyInteger(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_COLLADA_IGNORE_UP_DIRECTION,0) != 0;
+    useColladaName = pImp->GetPropertyInteger(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_COLLADA_USE_COLLADA_NAMES,0) != 0;
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1913,6 +1914,11 @@ const Collada::Node* ColladaLoader::FindNodeBySID( const Collada::Node* pNode, c
 // The name must be unique for proper node-bone association.
 std::string ColladaLoader::FindNameForNode( const Collada::Node* pNode)
 {
+    // If explicitly requested, just use the collada name.
+    if (useColladaName) {
+        return pNode->mName;
+    }
+
     // Now setup the name of the assimp node. The collada name might not be
     // unique, so we use the collada ID.
     if (!pNode->mID.empty())
diff --git a/code/ColladaLoader.h b/code/ColladaLoader.h
index c63bf2945..d61845b24 100644
--- a/code/ColladaLoader.h
+++ b/code/ColladaLoader.h
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ protected:
 
     bool noSkeletonMesh;
     bool ignoreUpDirection;
+    bool useColladaName;
 
     /** Used by FindNameForNode() to generate unique node names */
     unsigned int mNodeNameCounter;
diff --git a/include/assimp/config.h.in b/include/assimp/config.h.in
index 071d58cd2..c9555fb38 100644
--- a/include/assimp/config.h.in
+++ b/include/assimp/config.h.in
@@ -934,6 +934,16 @@ enum aiComponent
  */
 #define AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_COLLADA_IGNORE_UP_DIRECTION "IMPORT_COLLADA_IGNORE_UP_DIRECTION"
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** @brief Specifies whether the Collada loader should use Collada names as node names.
+ *
+ * If this property is set to true, the Collada names will be used as the
+ * node name. The default is to use the id tag (resp. sid tag, if no id tag is present)
+ * instead.
+ * Property type: Bool. Default value: false.
+ */
+#define AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_COLLADA_USE_COLLADA_NAMES "IMPORT_COLLADA_USE_COLLADA_NAMES"
+
 // ---------- All the Export defines ------------
 
 /** @brief Specifies the xfile use double for real values of float