diff --git a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/BasePanel.java b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/BasePanel.java
index d600fb0f212..f89a0a9bcfb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/BasePanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/BasePanel.java
@@ -1299,16 +1299,16 @@ public void insertEntry(final BibEntry bibEntry) {
         }
     }
 
-    public void editEntryByKeyAndFocusField(final String bibtexKey, final String fieldName) {
-        final List<BibEntry> entries = bibDatabaseContext.getDatabase().getEntriesByKey(bibtexKey);
-        if (entries.size() == 1) {
-            mainTable.setSelected(mainTable.findEntry(entries.get(0)));
+    public void editEntryByIdAndFocusField(final String entryId, final String fieldName) {
+        final Optional<BibEntry> entry = bibDatabaseContext.getDatabase().getEntryById(entryId);
+        entry.ifPresent(e -> {
+            mainTable.setSelected(mainTable.findEntry(e));
             selectionListener.editSignalled();
-            final EntryEditor editor = getEntryEditor(entries.get(0));
+            final EntryEditor editor = getEntryEditor(e);
             editor.setFocusToField(fieldName);
             this.showEntryEditor(editor);
             editor.requestFocus();
-        }
+        });
     }
 
     public void updateTableFont() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/actions/IntegrityCheckAction.java b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/actions/IntegrityCheckAction.java
index 5b4dd1cb7dd..5588e9b32d1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/actions/IntegrityCheckAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/gui/actions/IntegrityCheckAction.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import javax.swing.ListSelectionModel;
 import javax.swing.RowFilter;
 import javax.swing.table.AbstractTableModel;
+import javax.swing.table.TableColumnModel;
 import javax.swing.table.TableModel;
 import javax.swing.table.TableRowSorter;
 
@@ -31,13 +32,10 @@
 import com.jgoodies.forms.layout.FormLayout;
 
 public class IntegrityCheckAction extends MnemonicAwareAction {
-
     private static final String ELLIPSES = "...";
 
-
     private final JabRefFrame frame;
 
-
     public IntegrityCheckAction(JabRefFrame frame) {
         this.frame = frame;
         putValue(Action.NAME, Localization.menuTitle("Check integrity") + ELLIPSES);
@@ -56,26 +54,30 @@ public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
         } else {
             Map<String, Boolean> showMessage = new HashMap<>();
             // prepare data model
-            Object[][] model = new Object[messages.size()][3];
+            Object[][] model = new Object[messages.size()][4];
             int i = 0;
             for (IntegrityMessage message : messages) {
-                model[i][0] = message.getEntry().getCiteKeyOptional().orElse("");
-                model[i][1] = message.getFieldName();
-                model[i][2] = message.getMessage();
+                model[i][0] = message.getEntry().getId();
+                model[i][1] = message.getEntry().getCiteKeyOptional().orElse("");
+                model[i][2] = message.getFieldName();
+                model[i][3] = message.getMessage();
                 showMessage.put(message.getMessage(), true);
                 i++;
             }
 
             // construct view
             JTable table = new JTable(model,
-                    new Object[] {Localization.lang("BibTeX key"), Localization.lang("Field"),
+                    new Object[] {"ID", Localization.lang("BibTeX key"), Localization.lang("Field"),
                             Localization.lang("Message")});
 
-            RowFilter<Object, Object> filter = new RowFilter<Object, Object>() {
+            // hide IDs
+            TableColumnModel columnModel = table.getColumnModel();
+            columnModel.removeColumn(columnModel.getColumn(0));
 
+            RowFilter<Object, Object> filter = new RowFilter<Object, Object>() {
                 @Override
                 public boolean include(Entry<?, ?> entry) {
-                    return showMessage.get(entry.getStringValue(2));
+                    return showMessage.get(entry.getStringValue(3));
                 }
             };
 
@@ -86,13 +88,12 @@ public boolean include(Entry<?, ?> entry) {
             table.setDefaultEditor(Object.class, null);
             ListSelectionModel selectionModel = table.getSelectionModel();
 
-
             selectionModel.addListSelectionListener(event -> {
                 if (!event.getValueIsAdjusting()) {
                     try {
-                        String citeKey = (String) model[table.convertRowIndexToModel(table.getSelectedRow())][0];
-                        String fieldName = (String) model[table.convertRowIndexToModel(table.getSelectedRow())][1];
-                        frame.getCurrentBasePanel().editEntryByKeyAndFocusField(citeKey, fieldName);
+                        String entryId = (String) model[table.convertRowIndexToModel(table.getSelectedRow())][0];
+                        String fieldName = (String) model[table.convertRowIndexToModel(table.getSelectedRow())][2];
+                        frame.getCurrentBasePanel().editEntryByIdAndFocusField(entryId, fieldName);
                     } catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException exception) {
                         // Ignore -- most likely caused by filtering out the earlier selected row
                     }
@@ -101,8 +102,11 @@ public boolean include(Entry<?, ?> entry) {
 
             GUIUtil.correctRowHeight(table);
 
+            // BibTeX key
             table.getColumnModel().getColumn(0).setPreferredWidth(100);
+            // field name
             table.getColumnModel().getColumn(1).setPreferredWidth(60);
+            // message
             table.getColumnModel().getColumn(2).setPreferredWidth(400);
             table.setAutoResizeMode(JTable.AUTO_RESIZE_LAST_COLUMN);
             JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(table);
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/database/BibDatabase.java b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/database/BibDatabase.java
index 87ca8a7ce98..f018173c27a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/database/BibDatabase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/database/BibDatabase.java
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
  * A bibliography database.
  */
 public class BibDatabase {
-
     private static final Log LOGGER = LogFactory.getLog(BibDatabase.class);
 
     /**
@@ -151,6 +150,21 @@ public synchronized List<BibEntry> getEntriesByKey(String key) {
         return result;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Finds the entry with a specified ID.
+     *
+     * @param id
+     * @return The entry that has the given id
+     */
+    public synchronized Optional<BibEntry> getEntryById(String id) {
+        for (BibEntry entry : entries) {
+            if (entry.getId().equals(id)) {
+                return Optional.of(entry);
+            }
+        }
+        return Optional.empty();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Inserts the entry, given that its ID is not already in use.
      * use Util.createId(...) to make up a unique ID for an entry.
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/entry/BibEntry.java b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/entry/BibEntry.java
index 4c0bc0568d3..bcb786f6273 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/entry/BibEntry.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/sf/jabref/model/entry/BibEntry.java
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
 public class BibEntry implements Cloneable {
-
     private static final Log LOGGER = LogFactory.getLog(BibEntry.class);
 
     public static final String TYPE_HEADER = "entrytype";