diff --git a/mei2ly.xsl b/mei2ly.xsl
index d8e95e4..b6d8dbf 100644
--- a/mei2ly.xsl
+++ b/mei2ly.xsl
@@ -1091,7 +1091,15 @@
     </xsl:if>
     <xsl:if test="$useSvgBackend">
       <xsl:text>\tweak output-attributes #&apos;</xsl:text>
-      <xsl:call-template name="setSvgAttr" />
+      <xsl:choose>
+        <xsl:when test="ancestor::mei:staff/descendant::mei:rest/@sameas = $restKey">
+          <!-- no IDs -->
+          <xsl:text>((class . rest)) </xsl:text>
+        </xsl:when>
+        <xsl:otherwise>
+          <xsl:call-template name="setSvgAttr" />
+        </xsl:otherwise>
+      </xsl:choose>
     </xsl:if>
     <xsl:if test="@color">
       <xsl:text>\tweak color #</xsl:text>
diff --git a/tests/merging-rests.mei b/tests/merging-rests.mei
index f860bce..6b46f21 100644
--- a/tests/merging-rests.mei
+++ b/tests/merging-rests.mei
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@
               <staff n="1">
                 <layer n="1">
                   <rest dur="4" xml:id="rest01a" />
-                  <rest dur="4" sameas="#rest02b" />
+                  <rest dur="4" sameas="#rest02b" xml:id="rest01b" />
                   <rest dur="4" xml:id="rest01c" />
                 </layer>
                 <layer n="2">
-                  <rest sameas="#rest01a" />
+                  <rest sameas="#rest01a" xml:id="rest02a" />
                   <rest dur="4" xml:id="rest02b" loc="6" color="gray"/>
                   <rest dur="4" xml:id="rest02c" />
                 </layer>
diff --git a/tests/merging-rests.preview.svg b/tests/merging-rests.preview.svg
index 63330ed..9f9ee58 100644
--- a/tests/merging-rests.preview.svg
+++ b/tests/merging-rests.preview.svg
@@ -20,19 +20,19 @@ c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -
 <path transform="translate(29.5116, 5.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest02b">
+<g class="rest">
 <g color="rgb(50.1961%, 50.1961%, 50.1961%)">
 <path transform="translate(26.8636, 2.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest02b">
+<g class="rest">
 <g color="rgb(50.1961%, 50.1961%, 50.1961%)">
 <path transform="translate(26.8636, 2.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest02b">
+<g class="rest">
 <g color="rgb(50.1961%, 50.1961%, 50.1961%)">
 <path transform="translate(26.8636, 2.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -
 <g class="mRest" id="mrest03">
 <path transform="translate(35.2421, 2.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M365 -156h-355c-6 0 -10 4 -10 10v136c0 6 4 10 10 10h355c6 0 10 -4 10 -10v-136c0 -6 -4 -10 -10 -10z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest01a">
+<g class="rest">
 <path transform="translate(24.2155, 3.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest01a">
+<g class="rest">
 <path transform="translate(24.2155, 3.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ c71 -84 133 -245 133 -358c0 -143 -86 -255 -180 -364c21 -68 39 -138 56 -207zM461
 c0 -44 25 -91 81 -123c5 -5 7 -10 7 -15c0 -11 -10 -22 -22 -22c-3 0 -6 1 -9 2c-80 43 -117 115 -117 185c0 88 58 174 160 197c-14 58 -29 117 -46 175c-107 -121 -213 -243 -213 -403zM408 1045c-99 -48 -162 -149 -162 -259c0 -74 18 -133 36 -194
 c80 97 146 198 146 324c0 55 -4 79 -20 129z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>
-<g class="rest" id="rest01a">
+<g class="rest">
 <path transform="translate(24.2155, 3.7760) scale(0.0040, -0.0040)" d="M-23 -116c0 28 11 42 40 42c33 0 78 -13 119 -31l-132 158c-7 9 -10 17 -10 25c0 34 50 66 87 99c25 22 37 52 37 83c0 24 -8 49 -25 69l-35 42c-3 3 -4 7 -4 10c0 9 9 15 17 15c4 0 8 -1 11 -5l151 -180c7 -9 10 -17 10 -25c0 -34 -50 -66 -87 -99
 c-25 -22 -37 -52 -37 -83c0 -24 7 -49 24 -69l84 -99c3 -3 4 -7 4 -10c0 -9 -8 -16 -16 -16c-4 0 -9 2 -12 6c-18 21 -63 38 -97 38c-41 0 -53 -26 -53 -67c0 -35 11 -74 28 -94c5 -6 0 -13 -6 -13c-2 0 -4 0 -6 2c-45 54 -92 148 -92 202z" fill="currentColor"/>
 </g>