diff --git a/lib/api/bucketPutLifecycle.js b/lib/api/bucketPutLifecycle.js
index 51e2a03c33..8d235cb2b2 100644
--- a/lib/api/bucketPutLifecycle.js
+++ b/lib/api/bucketPutLifecycle.js
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ function bucketPutLifecycle(authInfo, request, log, callback) {
             }),
         (bucket, lcConfig, next) => {
             bucket.setLifecycleConfiguration(lcConfig);
-            if (!bucket.getUid()) {
-                bucket.generateUid();
-            }
             metadata.updateBucket(bucket.getName(), bucket, log, err =>
                 next(err, bucket));
         },
diff --git a/lib/metadata/ModelVersion.md b/lib/metadata/ModelVersion.md
index 80d09f5118..fd0540310f 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/ModelVersion.md
+++ b/lib/metadata/ModelVersion.md
@@ -79,14 +79,15 @@ this._lifecycleConfiguration = lifecycleConfiguration || null;
 
 ### Usage
 
-Used to store the bucket lifecycle configuration info
+Used to store the bucket lifecycle configuration info.
+Backwards compatible: add a uid to bucket if not exist. Otherwise, use existing
 
 ## Model version 7
 
 ### Properties Added
 
 ```javascript
-this._uid = uid || undefined;
+this._uid = uid || uuid();
 ```
 
 ### Usage