diff --git a/omod-1.8/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/resource/openmrs1_8/PatientIdentifierResource1_8.java b/omod-1.8/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/resource/openmrs1_8/PatientIdentifierResource1_8.java
index 3d41ab92b..1b62538c5 100644
--- a/omod-1.8/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/resource/openmrs1_8/PatientIdentifierResource1_8.java
+++ b/omod-1.8/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/resource/openmrs1_8/PatientIdentifierResource1_8.java
@@ -214,7 +214,14 @@ public PatientIdentifier getByUniqueId(String uniqueId) {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public PatientIdentifier save(PatientIdentifier delegate) {
-		// make sure it has already been added to the patient
+		if (delegate.isPreferred()) {
+			for (PatientIdentifier pI : delegate.getPatient().getActiveIdentifiers()) {
+				if (!pI.equals(delegate)) {
+					pI.setPreferred(false);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		
 		boolean needToAdd = true;
 		for (PatientIdentifier pi : delegate.getPatient().getActiveIdentifiers()) {
 			if (pi.equals(delegate)) {
@@ -222,9 +229,14 @@ public PatientIdentifier save(PatientIdentifier delegate) {
 				break;
 			}
 		}
-		if (needToAdd)
+		
+		if (needToAdd) {
 			delegate.getPatient().addIdentifier(delegate);
-		return service().savePatientIdentifier(delegate);
+		}
+		
+		service().savePatientIdentifier(delegate);
+		return delegate;
+		
 	}
 	
 	@Override
diff --git a/omod-1.9/src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/controller/openmrs1_9/PatientIdentifierController1_9Test.java b/omod-1.9/src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/controller/openmrs1_9/PatientIdentifierController1_9Test.java
index 439d3ccdd..5eff7dec9 100644
--- a/omod-1.9/src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/controller/openmrs1_9/PatientIdentifierController1_9Test.java
+++ b/omod-1.9/src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/webservices/rest/web/v1_0/controller/openmrs1_9/PatientIdentifierController1_9Test.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 package org.openmrs.module.webservices.rest.web.v1_0.controller.openmrs1_9;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
@@ -113,6 +114,33 @@ public void shouldEditAPatientIdentifier() throws Exception {
 		assertEquals(newLocationUuid, patientIdentifierType.getLocation().getUuid());
 	}
 	
+	@Test
+	public void shouldUnsetOtherPreferredIdentifiers() throws Exception {
+		PatientIdentifier exisitingIdentifier = service.getPatientIdentifierByUuid(getUuid());
+		long originalCount = getAllCount();
+		assertTrue(exisitingIdentifier.isPreferred());
+		SimpleObject patientIdentifier = new SimpleObject();
+		patientIdentifier.add("identifier", "abc123ez");
+		patientIdentifier.add("identifierType", "2f470aa8-1d73-43b7-81b5-01f0c0dfa53c");
+		patientIdentifier.add("location", RestTestConstants1_8.LOCATION_UUID);
+		patientIdentifier.add("preferred", true);
+		
+		String json = new ObjectMapper().writeValueAsString(patientIdentifier);
+		
+		MockHttpServletRequest req = request(RequestMethod.POST, getURI());
+		req.setContent(json.getBytes());
+		
+		SimpleObject newPatientIdentifier = deserialize(handle(req));
+		Object uuid = PropertyUtils.getProperty(newPatientIdentifier, "uuid");
+		assertNotNull(uuid);
+		assertEquals(originalCount + 1, getAllCount());
+		
+		PatientIdentifier newIdentifer = service.getPatientIdentifierByUuid(uuid.toString());
+		assertFalse(exisitingIdentifier.isPreferred());
+		assertTrue(newIdentifer.isPreferred());
+		assertEquals(newIdentifer.getIdentifier(), "abc123ez");
+	}
+	
 	@Test
 	public void shouldVoidAPatientIdentifier() throws Exception {
 		assertEquals(false, service.getPatientIdentifierByUuid(getUuid()).isVoided());