diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f947fc3..31d35b2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ## 1.32.3
 
 * Add an option to convert stringified number feature IDs to numbers
+* Add an option to use a specified feature attribute as the feature ID
 
 ## 1.32.2
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index af0c454..27199cf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ resolution is obtained than by using a smaller _maxzoom_ or _detail_.
    to specify how the named _attribute_ is accumulated onto the attribute of the same name in a feature that does survive.
  * `-pe` or `--empty-csv-columns-are-null`: Treat empty CSV columns as nulls rather than as empty strings.
  * `-aI` or `--convert-stringified-ids-to-numbers`: If a feature ID is the string representation of a number, convert it to a plain number to use as the feature ID.
+ * `--use-attribute-for-id=`*name*: Use the attribute with the specified *name* as if it were specified as the feature ID. (If this attribute is a stringified number, you must also use `-aI` to convert it to a number.)
 
 ### Filtering features by attributes
 
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 56962a1..290a309 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ size_t max_tile_size = 500000;
 size_t max_tile_features = 200000;
 int cluster_distance = 0;
 long justx = -1, justy = -1;
+std::string attribute_for_id = "";
 
 int prevent[256];
 int additional[256];
@@ -2542,6 +2543,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		{"accumulate-attribute", required_argument, 0, 'E'},
 		{"empty-csv-columns-are-null", no_argument, &prevent[P_EMPTY_CSV_COLUMNS], 1},
 		{"convert-stringified-ids-to-numbers", no_argument, &additional[A_CONVERT_NUMERIC_IDS], 1},
+		{"use-attribute-for-id", required_argument, 0, '~'},
 
 		{"Filtering features by attributes", 0, 0, 0},
 		{"feature-filter-file", required_argument, 0, 'J'},
@@ -2694,6 +2696,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 					fprintf(stderr, "%s: Can't parse bounding box --%s=%s\n", argv[0], opt, optarg);
 					exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 				}
+			} else if (strcmp(opt, "use-attribute-for-id") == 0) {
+				attribute_for_id = optarg;
 			} else {
 				fprintf(stderr, "%s: Unrecognized option --%s\n", argv[0], opt);
 				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
diff --git a/main.hpp b/main.hpp
index 2d83c8a..8d89ab6 100644
--- a/main.hpp
+++ b/main.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <atomic>
+#include <string>
 
 struct index {
 	long long start = 0;
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ extern size_t TEMP_FILES;
 extern size_t max_tile_size;
 extern size_t max_tile_features;
 extern int cluster_distance;
+extern std::string attribute_for_id;
 
 int mkstemp_cloexec(char *name);
 FILE *fopen_oflag(const char *name, const char *mode, int oflag);
diff --git a/man/tippecanoe.1 b/man/tippecanoe.1
index 1e83082..b24720a 100644
--- a/man/tippecanoe.1
+++ b/man/tippecanoe.1
@@ -426,6 +426,8 @@ to specify how the named \fIattribute\fP is accumulated onto the attribute of th
 \fB\fC\-pe\fR or \fB\fC\-\-empty\-csv\-columns\-are\-null\fR: Treat empty CSV columns as nulls rather than as empty strings.
 .IP \(bu 2
 \fB\fC\-aI\fR or \fB\fC\-\-convert\-stringified\-ids\-to\-numbers\fR: If a feature ID is the string representation of a number, convert it to a plain number to use as the feature ID.
+.IP \(bu 2
+\fB\fC\-\-use\-attribute\-for\-id=\fR\fIname\fP: Use the attribute with the specified \fIname\fP as if it were specified as the feature ID. (If this attribute is a stringified number, you must also use \fB\fC\-aI\fR to convert it to a number.)
 .RE
 .SS Filtering features by attributes
 .RS
diff --git a/serial.cpp b/serial.cpp
index 59697ab..132aaed 100644
--- a/serial.cpp
+++ b/serial.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ static void write_geometry(drawvec const &dv, std::atomic<long long> *fpos, FILE
 	}
 }
 
+// called from generating the next zoom level
 void serialize_feature(FILE *geomfile, serial_feature *sf, std::atomic<long long> *geompos, const char *fname, long long wx, long long wy, bool include_minzoom) {
 	serialize_byte(geomfile, sf->t, geompos, fname);
 
@@ -372,6 +373,7 @@ static long long scale_geometry(struct serialization_state *sst, long long *bbox
 	return geom.size();
 }
 
+// called from frontends
 int serialize_feature(struct serialization_state *sst, serial_feature &sf) {
 	struct reader *r = &(*sst->readers)[sst->segment];
 
@@ -573,6 +575,44 @@ int serialize_feature(struct serialization_state *sst, serial_feature &sf) {
 		}
 
 		coerce_value(sf.full_keys[i], sf.full_values[i].type, sf.full_values[i].s, sst->attribute_types);
+
+		if (sf.full_keys[i] == attribute_for_id) {
+			if (sf.full_values[i].type != mvt_double && !additional[A_CONVERT_NUMERIC_IDS]) {
+				static bool warned = false;
+
+				if (!warned) {
+					fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Attribute \"%s\"=\"%s\" as feature ID is not a number\n", sf.full_keys[i].c_str(), sf.full_values[i].s.c_str());
+					warned = true;
+				}
+			} else {
+				char *err;
+				long long id_value = strtoull(sf.full_values[i].s.c_str(), &err, 10);
+
+				if (err != NULL && *err != '\0') {
+					static bool warned_frac = false;
+
+					if (!warned_frac) {
+						fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Can't represent non-integer feature ID %s\n", sf.full_values[i].s.c_str());
+						warned_frac = true;
+					}
+				} else if (std::to_string(id_value) != sf.full_values[i].s) {
+					static bool warned = false;
+
+					if (!warned) {
+						fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Can't represent too-large feature ID %s\n", sf.full_values[i].s.c_str());
+						warned = true;
+					}
+				} else {
+					sf.id = id_value;
+					sf.has_id = true;
+
+					sf.full_keys.erase(sf.full_keys.begin() + i);
+					sf.full_values.erase(sf.full_values.begin() + i);
+					continue;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	if (!sst->filters) {
diff --git a/tests/stringid/in.json b/tests/stringid/in.json
index ff9db89..83869dd 100644
--- a/tests/stringid/in.json
+++ b/tests/stringid/in.json
@@ -4,3 +4,8 @@
 { "type": "Feature", "id": "9837489273489273894728943728903480989080938597489274389", "properties": {}, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 4, 1 ] } }
 { "type": "Feature", "id": 9837489273489273894728943728903480989080938597489274389, "properties": {}, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 5, 1 ] } }
 { "type": "Feature", "id": "1e5", "properties": {}, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 6, 1 ] } }
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 7, 1 ] } }
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": "27", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 8, 1 ] } }
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27.5, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 9, 1 ] } }
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 98237489273489274389728497289472839478297489274892734892, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 10, 1 ] } }
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 11, 1 ] } }
diff --git a/tests/stringid/out/-z0.json b/tests/stringid/out/-z0.json
index c48babd..4e55f18 100644
--- a/tests/stringid/out/-z0.json
+++ b/tests/stringid/out/-z0.json
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 { "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": {
-"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,6.000000,1.000000",
+"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,11.000000,1.000000",
 "center": "1.000000,1.000000,0",
 "description": "tests/stringid/out/-z0.json.check.mbtiles",
 "format": "pbf",
-"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 6,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 0,\"attributes\": []}]}}",
+"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {\"something\": \"Boolean\", \"special\": \"Mixed\", \"yes\": \"String\"} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 11,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 3,\"attributes\": [{\"attribute\": \"something\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"boolean\",\"values\": [false]},{\"attribute\": \"special\",\"count\": 4,\"type\": \"mixed\",\"values\": [\"27\",27,27.5,9.823748927348929e+55],\"min\": 27,\"max\": 9.823748927348929e+55},{\"attribute\": \"yes\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"string\",\"values\": [\"no\"]}]}]}}",
 "maxzoom": "0",
 "minzoom": "0",
 "name": "tests/stringid/out/-z0.json.check.mbtiles",
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@
 { "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 4.921875, 1.054628 ] } }
 ,
 { "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 5.976562, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 6.943359, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": "27", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 7.998047, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27.5, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 8.964844, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 9.823748927348929e+55, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 9.931641, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 10.986328, 1.054628 ] } }
 ] }
 ] }
 ] }
diff --git a/tests/stringid/out/-z0_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d68ca9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": {
+"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,11.000000,1.000000",
+"center": "1.000000,1.000000,0",
+"description": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json.check.mbtiles",
+"format": "pbf",
+"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {\"something\": \"Boolean\", \"special\": \"Mixed\", \"yes\": \"String\"} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 11,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 3,\"attributes\": [{\"attribute\": \"something\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"boolean\",\"values\": [false]},{\"attribute\": \"special\",\"count\": 3,\"type\": \"mixed\",\"values\": [\"27\",27.5,9.823748927348929e+55],\"min\": 27.5,\"max\": 9.823748927348929e+55},{\"attribute\": \"yes\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"string\",\"values\": [\"no\"]}]}]}}",
+"maxzoom": "0",
+"minzoom": "0",
+"name": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json.check.mbtiles",
+"type": "overlay",
+"version": "2"
+}, "features": [
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": { "zoom": 0, "x": 0, "y": 0 }, "features": [
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": { "layer": "in", "version": 2, "extent": 4096 }, "features": [
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 12345, "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 0.966797, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 1.933594, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 2.988281, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 3.955078, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 4.921875, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 5.976562, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 27, "properties": { "yes": "no", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 6.943359, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": "27", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 7.998047, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27.5, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 8.964844, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 9.823748927348929e+55, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 9.931641, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 27, "properties": { "yes": "no", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 10.986328, 1.054628 ] } }
+] }
+] }
+] }
diff --git a/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json
index ec520af..38864f4 100644
--- a/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json
+++ b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 { "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": {
-"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,6.000000,1.000000",
+"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,11.000000,1.000000",
 "center": "1.000000,1.000000,0",
 "description": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json.check.mbtiles",
 "format": "pbf",
-"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 6,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 0,\"attributes\": []}]}}",
+"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {\"something\": \"Boolean\", \"special\": \"Mixed\", \"yes\": \"String\"} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 11,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 3,\"attributes\": [{\"attribute\": \"something\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"boolean\",\"values\": [false]},{\"attribute\": \"special\",\"count\": 4,\"type\": \"mixed\",\"values\": [\"27\",27,27.5,9.823748927348929e+55],\"min\": 27,\"max\": 9.823748927348929e+55},{\"attribute\": \"yes\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"string\",\"values\": [\"no\"]}]}]}}",
 "maxzoom": "0",
 "minzoom": "0",
 "name": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI.json.check.mbtiles",
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@
 { "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 4.921875, 1.054628 ] } }
 ,
 { "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 5.976562, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 6.943359, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": "27", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 7.998047, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27.5, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 8.964844, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 9.823748927348929e+55, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 9.931641, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 10.986328, 1.054628 ] } }
 ] }
 ] }
 ] }
diff --git a/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3b5699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": {
+"bounds": "1.000000,1.000000,11.000000,1.000000",
+"center": "1.000000,1.000000,0",
+"description": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json.check.mbtiles",
+"format": "pbf",
+"json": "{\"vector_layers\": [ { \"id\": \"in\", \"description\": \"\", \"minzoom\": 0, \"maxzoom\": 0, \"fields\": {\"something\": \"Boolean\", \"special\": \"Number\", \"yes\": \"String\"} } ],\"tilestats\": {\"layerCount\": 1,\"layers\": [{\"layer\": \"in\",\"count\": 11,\"geometry\": \"Point\",\"attributeCount\": 3,\"attributes\": [{\"attribute\": \"something\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"boolean\",\"values\": [false]},{\"attribute\": \"special\",\"count\": 2,\"type\": \"number\",\"values\": [27.5,9.823748927348929e+55],\"min\": 27.5,\"max\": 9.823748927348929e+55},{\"attribute\": \"yes\",\"count\": 1,\"type\": \"string\",\"values\": [\"no\"]}]}]}}",
+"maxzoom": "0",
+"minzoom": "0",
+"name": "tests/stringid/out/-z0_-aI_--use-attribute-for-id_special.json.check.mbtiles",
+"type": "overlay",
+"version": "2"
+}, "features": [
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": { "zoom": 0, "x": 0, "y": 0 }, "features": [
+{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "properties": { "layer": "in", "version": 2, "extent": 4096 }, "features": [
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 12345, "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 0.966797, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 12345, "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 1.933594, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 2.988281, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 3.955078, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 4.921875, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "properties": {  }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 5.976562, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 27, "properties": { "yes": "no", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 6.943359, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 27, "properties": { "yes": "no", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 7.998047, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 27.5, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 8.964844, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 1234, "properties": { "yes": "no", "special": 9.823748927348929e+55, "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 9.931641, 1.054628 ] } }
+,
+{ "type": "Feature", "id": 27, "properties": { "yes": "no", "something": false }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 10.986328, 1.054628 ] } }
+] }
+] }
+] }