diff --git a/src/engine/Account.c b/src/engine/Account.c
index 11080a80ef..9af1816ab4 100644
--- a/src/engine/Account.c
+++ b/src/engine/Account.c
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ xaccMallocAccount (QofBook *book)
 Account *
 xaccCloneAccountSimple(const Account *from, QofBook *book)
 {
+    const char * ucom;
+    const gnc_commodity_table * comtbl;
     Account *ret;
 
     if (!from || !book) return NULL;
@@ -178,7 +180,12 @@ xaccCloneAccountSimple(const Account *from, QofBook *book)
 
     ret->kvp_data    = kvp_frame_copy(from->kvp_data);
 
-    ret->commodity    = from->commodity;
+    /* The new book should contain a commodity that matches
+     * the one in the old book. Find it, use it. */
+    ucom = gnc_commodity_get_unique_name (from->commodity);
+    comtbl = gnc_commodity_table_get_table (book);
+    ret->commodity    = gnc_commodity_table_lookup_unique (comtbl, ucom);
+
     ret->commodity_scu = from->commodity_scu;
     ret->non_standard_scu = from->non_standard_scu;
     ret->core_dirty   = TRUE;
@@ -212,7 +219,12 @@ xaccCloneAccount (const Account *from, QofBook *book,
 
     ret->kvp_data    = kvp_frame_copy(from->kvp_data);
 
-    ret->commodity    = from->commodity;
+    /* The new book should contain a commodity that matches
+     * the one in the old book. Find it, use it. */
+    ucom = gnc_commodity_get_unique_name (from->commodity);
+    comtbl = gnc_commodity_table_get_table (book);
+    ret->commodity    = gnc_commodity_table_lookup_unique (comtbl, ucom);
+
     ret->commodity_scu = from->commodity_scu;
     ret->non_standard_scu = from->non_standard_scu;
     ret->core_dirty   = TRUE;
diff --git a/src/engine/Account.h b/src/engine/Account.h
index 8b50ce3462..849843df38 100644
--- a/src/engine/Account.h
+++ b/src/engine/Account.h
@@ -118,9 +118,13 @@ Account    * xaccCloneAccount (const Account *from, QofBook *book,
 /** The xaccCloneAccountSimple() routine makes a simple copy of the
  *  indicated account, placing it in the indicated book.  It copies
  *  the account type, name, description, and the kvp values;
- *  it does not copy splits/transactions.  Note also that it 
- *  does NOT use the 'gemini' kvp value to indicate where it 
- *  was copied from.*/
+ *  it does not copy splits/transactions.  The book should have 
+ *  a commodity table in it that has commodities with the same
+ *  unique name as the ones being copied in the account (the 
+ *  commodities in the clone will be those from the book).
+ *  Note that this routines does *NOT* use the 'gemini' kvp value 
+ *  to indicate where it was copied from.
+ */
 Account    * xaccCloneAccountSimple (const Account *from, QofBook *book);
 
 /** The xaccAccountBeginEdit() subroutine is the first phase of