diff --git a/db/migrations/0198__NOOP.sql b/db/migrations/0198__NOOP.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2f08fcea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrations/0198__NOOP.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-- NOOP
diff --git a/db/migrations/0198__set_branch_id_in_hidden_subtree.sql b/db/migrations/0198__set_branch_id_in_hidden_subtree.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index 409864fef..000000000
--- a/db/migrations/0198__set_branch_id_in_hidden_subtree.sql
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = 'search' WHERE parentNoteId = 'hidden' AND noteId = 'search';
--- the IDs are renamed in the 0199 migration
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = 'globalnotemap' WHERE parentNoteId = 'singles' AND noteId = 'globalnotemap';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = 'sqlconsole' WHERE parentNoteId = 'hidden' AND noteId = 'sqlconsole';
diff --git a/db/migrations/0199__rename_ids.sql b/db/migrations/0199__rename_ids.sql
index d0de0233d..1de3324a9 100644
--- a/db/migrations/0199__rename_ids.sql
+++ b/db/migrations/0199__rename_ids.sql
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 UPDATE notes SET noteId = '_globalNoteMap', title = 'Note Map' WHERE noteId = 'globalnotemap';
 UPDATE note_contents SET noteId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE noteId = 'globalnotemap';
 UPDATE note_revisions SET noteId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE noteId = 'globalnotemap';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE branchId = 'globalnotemap';
 UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE noteId = 'globalnotemap';
 UPDATE branches SET parentNoteId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE parentNoteId = 'globalnotemap';
 UPDATE attributes SET noteId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE noteId = 'globalnotemap';
@@ -11,7 +10,6 @@ UPDATE entity_changes SET entityId = '_globalNoteMap' WHERE entityId = 'globalno
 UPDATE notes SET noteId = '_bulkAction', title = 'Bulk Action' WHERE noteId = 'bulkaction';
 UPDATE note_contents SET noteId = '_bulkAction' WHERE noteId = 'bulkaction';
 UPDATE note_revisions SET noteId = '_bulkAction' WHERE noteId = 'bulkaction';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = '_bulkAction' WHERE branchId = 'bulkaction';
 UPDATE branches SET parentNoteId = '_bulkAction' WHERE parentNoteId = 'bulkaction';
 UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_bulkAction' WHERE noteId = 'bulkaction';
 UPDATE attributes SET noteId = '_bulkAction' WHERE noteId = 'bulkaction';
@@ -22,7 +20,6 @@ UPDATE notes SET noteId = '_sqlConsole', title = 'SQL Console History' WHERE not
 UPDATE note_contents SET noteId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE noteId = 'sqlconsole';
 UPDATE note_revisions SET noteId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE noteId = 'sqlconsole';
 UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE noteId = 'sqlconsole';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE branchId = 'sqlconsole';
 UPDATE branches SET parentNoteId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE parentNoteId = 'sqlconsole';
 UPDATE attributes SET noteId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE noteId = 'sqlconsole';
 UPDATE attributes SET value = '_sqlConsole' WHERE type = 'relation' AND value = 'sqlconsole';
@@ -31,8 +28,7 @@ UPDATE entity_changes SET entityId = '_sqlConsole' WHERE entityId = 'sqlconsole'
 UPDATE notes SET noteId = '_hidden', title = 'Hidden Notes' WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
 UPDATE note_contents SET noteId = '_hidden' WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
 UPDATE note_revisions SET noteId = '_hidden' WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
-UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_hidden' WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = '_hidden', prefix = NULL WHERE branchId = 'hidden';
+UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_hidden', prefix = NULL WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
 UPDATE branches SET parentNoteId = '_hidden' WHERE parentNoteId = 'hidden';
 UPDATE attributes SET noteId = '_hidden' WHERE noteId = 'hidden';
 UPDATE attributes SET value = '_hidden' WHERE type = 'relation' AND value = 'hidden';
@@ -42,7 +38,6 @@ UPDATE notes SET noteId = '_search', title = 'Search History' WHERE noteId = 'se
 UPDATE note_contents SET noteId = '_search' WHERE noteId = 'search';
 UPDATE note_revisions SET noteId = '_search' WHERE noteId = 'search';
 UPDATE branches SET noteId = '_search' WHERE noteId = 'search';
-UPDATE branches SET branchId = '_search' WHERE branchId = 'search';
 UPDATE branches SET parentNoteId = '_search' WHERE parentNoteId = 'search';
 UPDATE attributes SET noteId = '_search' WHERE noteId = 'search';
 UPDATE attributes SET value = '_search' WHERE type = 'relation' AND value = 'search';
diff --git a/src/becca/entities/branch.js b/src/becca/entities/branch.js
index f97fe0ec3..c1744c90d 100644
--- a/src/becca/entities/branch.js
+++ b/src/becca/entities/branch.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 const Note = require('./note');
 const AbstractEntity = require("./abstract_entity");
-const sql = require("../../services/sql");
 const dateUtils = require("../../services/date_utils");
 const utils = require("../../services/utils");
 const TaskContext = require("../../services/task_context");
diff --git a/src/public/app/services/branches.js b/src/public/app/services/branches.js
index c45fff90d..86eb96c08 100644
--- a/src/public/app/services/branches.js
+++ b/src/public/app/services/branches.js
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ async function moveAfterBranch(branchIdsToMove, afterBranchId) {
 }
 
 async function moveToParentNote(branchIdsToMove, newParentBranchId) {
-    if (newParentBranchId === '_lbRoot') {
+    const newParentBranch = await froca.getBranch(newParentBranchId);
+
+    if (newParentBranch.noteId === '_lbRoot') {
         toastService.showError('Cannot move notes here.');
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/services/backend_script_api.js b/src/services/backend_script_api.js
index 15b885a77..cdeabe212 100644
--- a/src/services/backend_script_api.js
+++ b/src/services/backend_script_api.js
@@ -493,12 +493,12 @@ function BackendScriptApi(currentNote, apiParams) {
         if (opts.type === 'customWidget' && !opts.widgetNoteId) { throw new Error("widgetNoteId is mandatory for launchers of type 'customWidget'"); }
 
         const parentNoteId = !!opts.isVisible ? '_lbVisibleLaunchers' : '_lbAvailableLaunchers';
-        const actualId = 'al_' + opts.id;
+        const noteId = 'al_' + opts.id;
 
         const launcherNote =
             becca.getNote(opts.id) ||
             specialNotesService.createLauncher({
-                id: actualId,
+                noteId: noteId,
                 parentNoteId: parentNoteId,
                 launcherType: opts.type,
             }).note;
diff --git a/src/services/cloning.js b/src/services/cloning.js
index 3fb56473c..6a7dde1f0 100644
--- a/src/services/cloning.js
+++ b/src/services/cloning.js
@@ -121,8 +121,16 @@ function toggleNoteInParent(present, noteId, parentNoteId, prefix) {
 
 function cloneNoteAfter(noteId, afterBranchId) {
     if (['_hidden', 'root'].includes(noteId)) {
-        return { success: false, message: 'Cloning the given note is forbidden.' };
-    } else if (afterBranchId === '_hidden') {
+        return { success: false, message: `Cloning the note '${noteId}' is forbidden.` };
+    }
+
+    const afterBranch = becca.getBranch(afterBranchId);
+
+    if (!afterBranch) {
+        return { success: false, message: `Branch '${afterBranchId}' does not exist.` };
+    }
+
+    if (afterBranch.noteId === '_hidden') {
         return { success: false, message: 'Cannot clone after the hidden branch.' };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/services/hidden_subtree.js b/src/services/hidden_subtree.js
index 98606355e..4580a3e14 100644
--- a/src/services/hidden_subtree.js
+++ b/src/services/hidden_subtree.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const becca = require("../becca/becca");
 const noteService = require("./notes");
-const log = require("./log");
 
 const LBTPL_ROOT = "_lbTplRoot";
 const LBTPL_BASE = "_lbTplBase";
@@ -248,7 +247,6 @@ function checkHiddenSubtreeRecursively(parentNoteId, item) {
 
     if (!note) {
         ({note, branch} = noteService.createNewNote({
-            branchId: item.id,
             noteId: item.id,
             title: item.title,
             type: item.type,
@@ -286,10 +284,9 @@ function checkHiddenSubtreeRecursively(parentNoteId, item) {
         note.save();
     }
 
-    if (!branch) {
-        // not sure if there's some better way to recover
-        log.error(`Cannot find launcher branch id='${item.id}', ignoring...`);
-    } else {
+    if (branch) {
+        // in case of launchers the branch ID is not preserved and should not be relied upon - launchers which move between
+        // visible and available will change branch since branch's parent-child relationship is immutable
         if (item.notePosition !== undefined && branch.notePosition !== item.notePosition) {
             branch.notePosition = item.notePosition;
             branch.save();
diff --git a/src/services/notes.js b/src/services/notes.js
index 36ea273dd..f17c7adce 100644
--- a/src/services/notes.js
+++ b/src/services/notes.js
@@ -166,7 +166,6 @@ function createNewNote(params) {
             note.setContent(params.content);
 
             branch = new Branch({
-                branchId: params.branchId,
                 noteId: note.noteId,
                 parentNoteId: params.parentNoteId,
                 notePosition: params.notePosition !== undefined ? params.notePosition : getNewNotePosition(params.parentNoteId),
diff --git a/src/services/special_notes.js b/src/services/special_notes.js
index ef6f63987..ee88a48eb 100644
--- a/src/services/special_notes.js
+++ b/src/services/special_notes.js
@@ -139,10 +139,9 @@ function getMonthlyParentNoteId(rootNoteId, prefix) {
     return monthNote.noteId;
 }
 
-function createScriptLauncher(parentNoteId, forceId = null) {
+function createScriptLauncher(parentNoteId, forceNoteId = null) {
     const note = noteService.createNewNote({
-        noteId: forceId,
-        branchId: forceId,
+        noteId: forceNoteId,
         title: "Script Launcher",
         type: 'launcher',
         content: '',
@@ -153,13 +152,12 @@ function createScriptLauncher(parentNoteId, forceId = null) {
     return note;
 }
 
-function createLauncher({parentNoteId, launcherType, id}) {
+function createLauncher({parentNoteId, launcherType, noteId}) {
     let note;
 
     if (launcherType === 'note') {
         note = noteService.createNewNote({
-            noteId: id,
-            branchId: id,
+            noteId: noteId,
             title: "Note Launcher",
             type: 'launcher',
             content: '',
@@ -168,11 +166,10 @@ function createLauncher({parentNoteId, launcherType, id}) {
 
         note.addRelation('template', LBTPL_NOTE_LAUNCHER);
     } else if (launcherType === 'script') {
-        note = createScriptLauncher(parentNoteId, id);
+        note = createScriptLauncher(parentNoteId, noteId);
     } else if (launcherType === 'customWidget') {
         note = noteService.createNewNote({
-            noteId: id,
-            branchId: id,
+            noteId: noteId,
             title: "Widget Launcher",
             type: 'launcher',
             content: '',
@@ -182,8 +179,8 @@ function createLauncher({parentNoteId, launcherType, id}) {
         note.addRelation('template', LBTPL_CUSTOM_WIDGET);
     } else if (launcherType === 'spacer') {
         note = noteService.createNewNote({
-            noteId: id,
-            branchId: id,
+            noteId: noteId,
+            branchId: noteId,
             title: "Spacer",
             type: 'launcher',
             content: '',
diff --git a/src/services/tree.js b/src/services/tree.js
index a1665579a..f24bdca09 100644
--- a/src/services/tree.js
+++ b/src/services/tree.js
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ function sortNotes(parentNoteId, customSortBy = 'title', reverse = false, folder
         for (const note of notes) {
             const branch = note.getParentBranches().find(b => b.parentNoteId === parentNoteId);
 
-            if (branch.branchId === '_hidden') {
+            if (branch.noteId === '_hidden') {
                 position = 999_999_999;
             }