diff --git a/src/librt/attributes.c b/src/librt/attributes.c
index 75cc20afd33..c1738e74df9 100644
--- a/src/librt/attributes.c
+++ b/src/librt/attributes.c
@@ -331,6 +331,27 @@ db5_update_attributes(struct directory *dp, struct bu_attribute_value_set *avsp,
 	}
     }
 
+    const char *material_name = bu_avs_get(avsp, "material_name");
+    const char *material_id = bu_avs_get(&old_avs, "material_id");
+    if (material_name != NULL && !BU_STR_EQUAL(material_name, "(null)") && !BU_STR_EQUAL(material_name, "del")) {
+        struct directory *material_dp = db_lookup(dbip, material_name, LOOKUP_QUIET);
+        if (material_dp != RT_DIR_NULL) {
+            struct rt_db_internal intern;
+            struct rt_material_internal *material_ip;
+            if (rt_db_get_internal(&intern, material_dp, dbip, NULL, NULL) >= 0) {
+                if (intern.idb_minor_type == DB5_MINORTYPE_BRLCAD_MATERIAL) {
+                    material_ip = (struct rt_material_internal *) intern.idb_ptr;
+                    const char *id_string = bu_avs_get(&material_ip->physicalProperties, "id");
+                    if (id_string == NULL) {
+                        bu_log("WARNING: [%s] has invalid material_name value [%s]\nmaterial_id remains at %s\n", dp->d_namep, material_name, material_id);
+                    } else {
+                        bu_avs_add(avsp, "material_id", id_string);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     bu_avs_merge(&old_avs, avsp);
 
     db5_export_attributes(&attr, &old_avs);
diff --git a/src/librt/db5_attr.c b/src/librt/db5_attr.c
index e4bd0a550ed..73935d5caff 100644
--- a/src/librt/db5_attr.c
+++ b/src/librt/db5_attr.c
@@ -371,13 +371,8 @@ db5_sync_attr_to_comb(struct rt_comb_internal *comb, const struct bu_attribute_v
     bu_vls_sprintf(&newval, "%s", bu_avs_get(avs, db5_standard_attribute(ATTR_MATERIAL_NAME)));
     bu_vls_trimspace(&newval);
     if (bu_vls_strlen(&newval) != 0 && !BU_STR_EQUAL(bu_vls_addr(&newval), "(null)") && !BU_STR_EQUAL(bu_vls_addr(&newval), "del")) {
-	if (endptr == bu_vls_addr(&newval) + strlen(bu_vls_addr(&newval))) {
 		attr_char_val = bu_vls_strdup(&newval);
 		bu_vls_strcpy(&comb->material, attr_char_val);
-		// set the material_id using this material_name
-	} else {
-	    bu_log("WARNING: [%s] has invalid material_name value [%s]\nmaterial_name remains at %s\n", name, bu_vls_addr(&newval), bu_vls_strdup(&comb->material));
-	}
     } else {
 	/* empty - set to zero */
 	bu_vls_trunc(&comb->material, 0);
@@ -504,7 +499,6 @@ db5_sync_comb_to_attr(struct bu_attribute_value_set *avs, const struct rt_comb_i
     if (bu_vls_strlen(&comb->material) != 0) {
 	bu_vls_sprintf(&newval, "%s", bu_vls_strdup(&comb->material));
 	(void)bu_avs_add_vls(avs, db5_standard_attribute(ATTR_MATERIAL_NAME), &newval);
-	// add the material_id using this material_name
     } else {
 	bu_avs_remove(avs, db5_standard_attribute(ATTR_MATERIAL_NAME));
     }