diff --git a/History.md b/History.md
index 5b9ca6c6ed..654afb65cc 100644
--- a/History.md
+++ b/History.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 * Speed up updates of NPM modules by patching NPM to work around
   https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/3265 instead of passing `--force`.
 
+* Fix 0.8.1 regression preventing clients from specifying `_id` on insert.
+
 ## v0.8.1
 
 #### Meteor Accounts
diff --git a/packages/mongo-livedata/allow_tests.js b/packages/mongo-livedata/allow_tests.js
index e3f6c9e35e..e8a919a03e 100644
--- a/packages/mongo-livedata/allow_tests.js
+++ b/packages/mongo-livedata/allow_tests.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ if (Meteor.isServer) {
     // totally locked down collection
     var lockedDownCollection = defineCollection(
       "collection-locked-down", false /*insecure*/);
-    // resticted collection with same allowed modifications, both with and
+    // restricted collection with same allowed modifications, both with and
     // without the `insecure` package
     var restrictedCollectionDefaultSecure = defineCollection(
       "collection-restrictedDefaultSecure", false /*insecure*/);
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ if (Meteor.isServer) {
         return doc.a;
       });
     var restrictedCollectionForInvalidTransformTest = defineCollection(
-      "collection-restictedForInvalidTransform", false /*insecure*/);
+      "collection-restrictedForInvalidTransform", false /*insecure*/);
+    var restrictedCollectionForClientIdTest = defineCollection(
+      "collection-restrictedForClientIdTest", false /*insecure*/);
 
     if (needToConfigure) {
       restrictedCollectionWithTransform.allow({
@@ -98,6 +100,11 @@ if (Meteor.isServer) {
         transform: function (doc) { return doc._id; },
         insert: function () { return true; }
       });
+      restrictedCollectionForClientIdTest.allow({
+        // This test just requires the collection to trigger the restricted
+        // case.
+        insert: function () { return true; }
+      });
 
       // two calls to allow to verify that either validator is sufficient.
       var allows = [{
@@ -241,7 +248,7 @@ if (Meteor.isClient) {
     // totally locked down collection
     var lockedDownCollection = defineCollection("collection-locked-down");
 
-    // resticted collection with same allowed modifications, both with and
+    // restricted collection with same allowed modifications, both with and
     // without the `insecure` package
     var restrictedCollectionDefaultSecure = defineCollection(
       "collection-restrictedDefaultSecure");
@@ -262,7 +269,9 @@ if (Meteor.isClient) {
         return doc.a;
       });
     var restrictedCollectionForInvalidTransformTest = defineCollection(
-      "collection-restictedForInvalidTransform");
+      "collection-restrictedForInvalidTransform");
+    var restrictedCollectionForClientIdTest = defineCollection(
+      "collection-restrictedForClientIdTest");
 
     // test that if allow is called once then the collection is
     // restricted, and that other mutations aren't allowed
@@ -760,6 +769,18 @@ if (Meteor.isClient) {
           test.isTrue(err);
         }));
       }]);
+    testAsyncMulti(
+      "collection - restricted collection allows client-side id, " + idGeneration,
+      [function (test, expect) {
+        var self = this;
+        self.id = Random.id();
+        restrictedCollectionForClientIdTest.insert({_id: self.id}, expect(function (err, res) {
+          test.isFalse(err);
+          test.equal(res, self.id);
+          test.equal(restrictedCollectionForClientIdTest.findOne(self.id),
+                     {_id: self.id});
+        }));
+      }]);
   });  // end idGeneration loop
 }  // end if isClient
 
diff --git a/packages/mongo-livedata/collection.js b/packages/mongo-livedata/collection.js
index f7a0626ce3..c1f275fd92 100644
--- a/packages/mongo-livedata/collection.js
+++ b/packages/mongo-livedata/collection.js
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ Meteor.Collection.prototype._defineMutationMethods = function() {
             var validatedMethodName =
                   '_validated' + method.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + method.slice(1);
             args.unshift(this.userId);
-            generatedId !== null && args.push(generatedId);
+            method === 'insert' && args.push(generatedId);
             return self[validatedMethodName].apply(self, args);
           } else if (self._isInsecure()) {
             if (generatedId !== null)