diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 565e6c4..f187a41 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.24.0
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20211215153901-e495a2d5b3d3
 	golang.org/x/net v0.5.0
+	golang.org/x/term v0.4.0
 	google.golang.org/grpc v1.53.0
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.28.1
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1
+	howett.net/plist v1.0.0
 )
 
 require (
@@ -65,7 +67,6 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/atomic v1.10.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.9.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.4.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/term v0.4.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.6.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20230110181048-76db0878b65f // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 5414723..813c713 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ github.com/hashicorp/hcl v1.0.0/go.mod h1:E5yfLk+7swimpb2L/Alb/PJmXilQ/rhwaUYs4T
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0/go.mod h1:PxqpIevigyE2G7u3NXJIT2ANytuPF1OarO4DADm73n8=
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.1 h1:U3uMjPSQEBMNp1lFxmllqCPM6P5u/Xq7Pgzkat/bFNc=
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.1/go.mod h1:vpF70FUmC8bwa3OWnCshd2FqLfsEA9PFc4w1p2J65bw=
+github.com/jessevdk/go-flags v1.4.0/go.mod h1:4FA24M0QyGHXBuZZK/XkWh8h0e1EYbRYJSGM75WSRxI=
 github.com/json-iterator/go v1.1.12 h1:PV8peI4a0ysnczrg+LtxykD8LfKY9ML6u2jnxaEnrnM=
 github.com/json-iterator/go v1.1.12/go.mod h1:e30LSqwooZae/UwlEbR2852Gd8hjQvJoHmT4TnhNGBo=
 github.com/kisielk/errcheck v1.5.0/go.mod h1:pFxgyoBC7bSaBwPgfKdkLd5X25qrDl4LWUI2bnpBCr8=
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@ gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c h1:Hei/4ADfdWqJk1ZMxUNpqntNwaWcugrBjAiHlqqRiVk=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c/go.mod h1:JHkPIbrfpd72SG/EVd6muEfDQjcINNoR0C8j2r3qZ4Q=
 gopkg.in/errgo.v2 v2.1.0/go.mod h1:hNsd1EY+bozCKY1Ytp96fpM3vjJbqLJn88ws8XvfDNI=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v1 v1.0.0-20140924161607-9f9df34309c0/go.mod h1:WDnlLJ4WF5VGsH/HVa3CI79GS0ol3YnhVnKP89i0kNg=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2/go.mod h1:hI93XBmqTisBFMUTm0b8Fm+jr3Dg1NNxqwp+5A1VGuI=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 h1:D8xgwECY7CYvx+Y2n4sBz93Jn9JRvxdiyyo8CTfuKaY=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0/go.mod h1:RDklbk79AGWmwhnvt/jBztapEOGDOx6ZbXqjP6csGnQ=
@@ -301,3 +303,5 @@ gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
 honnef.co/go/tools v0.0.0-20190102054323-c2f93a96b099/go.mod h1:rf3lG4BRIbNafJWhAfAdb/ePZxsR/4RtNHQocxwk9r4=
 honnef.co/go/tools v0.0.0-20190523083050-ea95bdfd59fc/go.mod h1:rf3lG4BRIbNafJWhAfAdb/ePZxsR/4RtNHQocxwk9r4=
+howett.net/plist v1.0.0 h1:7CrbWYbPPO/PyNy38b2EB/+gYbjCe2DXBxgtOOZbSQM=
+howett.net/plist v1.0.0/go.mod h1:lqaXoTrLY4hg8tnEzNru53gicrbv7rrk+2xJA/7hw9g=
diff --git a/internal/controller/api_service_accounts.go b/internal/controller/api_service_accounts.go
index 5bd80d6..c6dc61b 100644
--- a/internal/controller/api_service_accounts.go
+++ b/internal/controller/api_service_accounts.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ func (controller *Controller) createServiceAccount(ctx *gin.Context) responder.R
 	}
 
 	serviceAccount.CreatedAt = time.Now()
-	serviceAccount.UID = uuid.New().String()
 	serviceAccount.Generation = 0
 
 	return controller.storeUpdate(func(txn storepkg.Transaction) responder.Responder {
diff --git a/internal/controller/api_vms_portforward.go b/internal/controller/api_vms_portforward.go
index 0746218..03b23e8 100644
--- a/internal/controller/api_vms_portforward.go
+++ b/internal/controller/api_vms_portforward.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (controller *Controller) portForwardVM(ctx *gin.Context) responder.Responde
 	}
 
 	// Sanity-check
-	if vm.WorkerUID == "" {
+	if vm.Worker == "" {
 		return responder.Code(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
 	}
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (controller *Controller) portForwardVM(ctx *gin.Context) responder.Responde
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// send request to worker to initiate port-forwarding connection back to us
-	err = controller.workerNotifier.Notify(ctx, vm.WorkerUID, &rpc.WatchInstruction{
+	err = controller.workerNotifier.Notify(ctx, vm.Worker, &rpc.WatchInstruction{
 		Action: &rpc.WatchInstruction_PortForwardAction{
 			PortForwardAction: &rpc.WatchInstruction_PortForward{
 				Session: session,
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (controller *Controller) portForwardVM(ctx *gin.Context) responder.Responde
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		controller.logger.Warnf("failed to request port-forwarding from the worker %s: %v", vm.WorkerUID, err)
+		controller.logger.Warnf("failed to request port-forwarding from the worker %s: %v", vm.Worker, err)
 
 		return responder.Code(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/controller/api_workers.go b/internal/controller/api_workers.go
index c369cca..64087fb 100644
--- a/internal/controller/api_workers.go
+++ b/internal/controller/api_workers.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/internal/responder"
 	v1 "github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/pkg/resource/v1"
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -31,13 +30,17 @@ func (controller *Controller) createWorker(ctx *gin.Context) responder.Responder
 		worker.LastSeen = currentTime
 	}
 	worker.CreatedAt = currentTime
-	worker.UID = uuid.New().String()
 	worker.Generation = 0
 
 	return controller.storeUpdate(func(txn storepkg.Transaction) responder.Responder {
-		// Does the worker resource with this name already exists?
-		_, err := txn.GetWorker(worker.Name)
-		if !errors.Is(err, storepkg.ErrNotFound) {
+		// In case there already exist a worker with the same name,
+		// allow overwriting it if the request comes from a worker
+		// with the same machine ID
+		dbWorker, err := txn.GetWorker(worker.Name)
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, storepkg.ErrNotFound) {
+			return responder.Code(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		}
+		if err == nil && worker.MachineID != dbWorker.MachineID {
 			return responder.Code(http.StatusConflict)
 		}
 
diff --git a/internal/controller/controller.go b/internal/controller/controller.go
index 980f96a..0407847 100644
--- a/internal/controller/controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/controller.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/internal/netconstants"
 	v1 "github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/pkg/resource/v1"
 	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/rpc"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 	"golang.org/x/net/http2"
 	"golang.org/x/net/http2/h2c"
@@ -121,7 +120,6 @@ func (controller *Controller) EnsureServiceAccount(serviceAccount *v1.ServiceAcc
 	}
 
 	serviceAccount.CreatedAt = time.Now()
-	serviceAccount.UID = uuid.New().String()
 	serviceAccount.Generation = 0
 
 	return controller.store.Update(func(txn storepkg.Transaction) error {
@@ -137,7 +135,7 @@ func (controller *Controller) DeleteServiceAccount(name string) error {
 
 func (controller *Controller) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// Run the scheduler so that each VM will eventually
-	// be assigned to a specific WorkerUID
+	// be assigned to a specific Worker
 	go func() {
 		err := runScheduler(controller.store)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/controller/notifier/notifier.go b/internal/controller/notifier/notifier.go
index 0b0d72f..316a7fc 100644
--- a/internal/controller/notifier/notifier.go
+++ b/internal/controller/notifier/notifier.go
@@ -25,25 +25,25 @@ func NewNotifier() *Notifier {
 	}
 }
 
-func (watcher *Notifier) Register(ctx context.Context, workerUID string) (chan *rpc.WatchInstruction, func()) {
+func (watcher *Notifier) Register(ctx context.Context, worker string) (chan *rpc.WatchInstruction, func()) {
 	subCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	workerCh := make(chan *rpc.WatchInstruction)
 
-	watcher.workers.Store(workerUID, &WorkerSlot{
+	watcher.workers.Store(worker, &WorkerSlot{
 		ctx: subCtx,
 		ch:  workerCh,
 	})
 
 	return workerCh, func() {
-		watcher.workers.Delete(workerUID)
+		watcher.workers.Delete(worker)
 		cancel()
 	}
 }
 
-func (watcher *Notifier) Notify(ctx context.Context, workerUID string, msg *rpc.WatchInstruction) error {
-	slot, ok := watcher.workers.Load(workerUID)
+func (watcher *Notifier) Notify(ctx context.Context, worker string, msg *rpc.WatchInstruction) error {
+	slot, ok := watcher.workers.Load(worker)
 	if !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrNoWorker, workerUID)
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrNoWorker, worker)
 	}
 
 	select {
diff --git a/internal/controller/rpc.go b/internal/controller/rpc.go
index 05214d9..9c7f8cf 100644
--- a/internal/controller/rpc.go
+++ b/internal/controller/rpc.go
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ func (controller *Controller) Watch(_ *emptypb.Empty, stream rpc.Controller_Watc
 		return status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "auth failed")
 	}
 
-	workerUIDMetadataValue := metadata.ValueFromIncomingContext(stream.Context(), rpc.MetadataWorkerUIDKey)
-	if len(workerUIDMetadataValue) == 0 {
-		return status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "no worker UID in metadata")
+	workerMetadataValue := metadata.ValueFromIncomingContext(stream.Context(), rpc.MetadataWorkerNameKey)
+	if len(workerMetadataValue) == 0 {
+		return status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "no worker ident in metadata")
 	}
 
-	workerUID := workerUIDMetadataValue[0]
-	workerCh, cancel := controller.workerNotifier.Register(stream.Context(), workerUID)
+	worker := workerMetadataValue[0]
+	workerCh, cancel := controller.workerNotifier.Register(stream.Context(), worker)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	for {
diff --git a/internal/controller/scheduler.go b/internal/controller/scheduler.go
index 6c30231..4c47c69 100644
--- a/internal/controller/scheduler.go
+++ b/internal/controller/scheduler.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func runSchedulerInner(store storepkg.Store) error {
 	for _, vm := range vms {
 		vm := vm
 
-		if vm.WorkerUID != "" {
+		if vm.Worker != "" {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func runSchedulerInner(store storepkg.Store) error {
 		for _, worker := range workers {
 			worker := worker
 
-			vm.WorkerUID = worker.UID
+			vm.Worker = worker.Name
 
 			err := store.Update(func(txn storepkg.Transaction) error {
 				return txn.SetVM(vm)
diff --git a/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry.go b/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..738561b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package iokitregistry
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"howett.net/plist"
+	"os/exec"
+)
+
+var ErrFailed = errors.New("failed to query I/O Kit registry")
+
+type Entry struct {
+	IOPlatformUUID string
+}
+
+func PlatformUUID() (string, error) {
+	ioregPath, err := exec.LookPath("ioreg")
+	if err != nil {
+		// Fallback since on some systems the PATH
+		// variable does not include /usr/sbin
+		ioregPath = "/usr/sbin/ioreg"
+	}
+
+	ioregCmd := exec.Command(ioregPath, "-a", "-c", "IOPlatformExpertDevice", "-rd1")
+
+	ioregOutput, err := ioregCmd.Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to run ioreg command: %v", ErrFailed, err)
+	}
+
+	var entries []Entry
+
+	_, err = plist.Unmarshal(ioregOutput, &entries)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to unmarshal ioreg command's output: %v",
+			ErrFailed, err)
+	}
+
+	for _, entry := range entries {
+		if entry.IOPlatformUUID != "" {
+			return entry.IOPlatformUUID, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: no platform UUID found in the ioreg command's output",
+		ErrFailed)
+}
diff --git a/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry_test.go b/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9955447
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/worker/iokitregistry/iokitregistry_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package iokitregistry_test
+
+import (
+	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/internal/worker/iokitregistry"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestPlatformUUID(t *testing.T) {
+	platformUUID, err := iokitregistry.PlatformUUID()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = uuid.Parse(platformUUID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/internal/worker/rpc.go b/internal/worker/rpc.go
index dc180d3..5c1a3d4 100644
--- a/internal/worker/rpc.go
+++ b/internal/worker/rpc.go
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@ func (worker *Worker) handlePortForward(
 
 	// Obtain VM
 	vm, err := worker.vmm.Get(v1.VM{
-		Meta: v1.Meta{
-			UID: portForwardAction.VmUid,
-		},
+		UID: portForwardAction.VmUid,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		worker.logger.Warnf("port forwarding failed: failed to get the VM: %v", err)
diff --git a/internal/worker/worker.go b/internal/worker/worker.go
index daeb7cb..c3b5e67 100644
--- a/internal/worker/worker.go
+++ b/internal/worker/worker.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/avast/retry-go/v4"
+	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/internal/worker/iokitregistry"
 	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/internal/worker/vmmanager"
 	"github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/pkg/client"
 	v1 "github.com/cirruslabs/orchard/pkg/resource/v1"
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ var ErrPollFailed = errors.New("failed to poll controller")
 type Worker struct {
 	dataDirPath string
 	name        string
-	uid         string
 	vmm         *vmmanager.VMManager
 	client      *client.Client
 	logger      *zap.SugaredLogger
@@ -113,19 +113,23 @@ func (worker *Worker) runNewSession(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (worker *Worker) registerWorker(ctx context.Context) error {
-	workerResource, err := worker.client.Workers().Create(ctx, v1.Worker{
+	platformUUID, err := iokitregistry.PlatformUUID()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = worker.client.Workers().Create(ctx, v1.Worker{
 		Meta: v1.Meta{
 			Name: worker.name,
 		},
-		LastSeen: time.Now(),
+		LastSeen:  time.Now(),
+		MachineID: platformUUID,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	worker.uid = workerResource.UID
-
-	worker.logger.Infof("registered worker %s with UID %s", worker.name, workerResource.UID)
+	worker.logger.Infof("registered worker %s", worker.name)
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -136,11 +140,6 @@ func (worker *Worker) updateWorker(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to retrieve worker from the API: %v", ErrPollFailed, err)
 	}
 
-	if workerResource.UID != worker.uid {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%w: our UID is %s, controller's UID is %s",
-			ErrPollFailed, worker.uid, workerResource.UID)
-	}
-
 	worker.logger.Debugf("got worker from the API")
 
 	workerResource.LastSeen = time.Now()
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ func (worker *Worker) updateWorker(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (worker *Worker) syncVMs(ctx context.Context) error {
-	remoteVMs, err := worker.client.VMs().FindForWorker(ctx, worker.uid)
+	remoteVMs, err := worker.client.VMs().FindForWorker(ctx, worker.name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -340,6 +339,5 @@ func (worker *Worker) GPRCMetadata() metadata.MD {
 	return metadata.Join(
 		worker.client.GPRCMetadata(),
 		metadata.Pairs(rpc.MetadataWorkerNameKey, worker.name),
-		metadata.Pairs(rpc.MetadataWorkerUIDKey, worker.uid),
 	)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/client/vms.go b/pkg/client/vms.go
index ae837a9..c4aac4e 100644
--- a/pkg/client/vms.go
+++ b/pkg/client/vms.go
@@ -23,20 +23,22 @@ func (service *VMsService) Create(ctx context.Context, vm *v1.VM) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (service *VMsService) FindForWorker(ctx context.Context, workerUID string) (map[string]v1.VM, error) {
+func (service *VMsService) FindForWorker(ctx context.Context, worker string) (map[string]v1.VM, error) {
 	allVms, err := service.List(ctx)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	var filteredVms = make(map[string]v1.VM)
+
 	for _, vmResource := range allVms {
-		if vmResource.WorkerUID != workerUID {
+		if vmResource.Worker != worker {
 			continue
 		}
+
 		filteredVms[vmResource.UID] = vmResource
 	}
+
 	return filteredVms, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/resource/v1/v1.go b/pkg/resource/v1/v1.go
index c54275f..8df9a02 100644
--- a/pkg/resource/v1/v1.go
+++ b/pkg/resource/v1/v1.go
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@ type Meta struct {
 	// when receiving a POST request.
 	CreatedAt time.Time `json:"createdAt"`
 
-	// UID is a useful field for avoiding data races within a single Name.
-	//
-	// It is populated by the Controller when receiving a POST request.
-	UID string `json:"uid"`
-
 	// Generation is a useful field for avoiding data races within a single UID.
 	//
 	// It is populated by the controller when receiving POST or PUT requests.
@@ -33,6 +28,8 @@ type Worker struct {
 	// to track unhealthy Workers.
 	LastSeen time.Time
 
+	MachineID string
+
 	Meta
 }
 
@@ -47,14 +44,19 @@ type VM struct {
 	Status        VMStatus `json:"status"`
 	StatusMessage string   `json:"status_message"`
 
-	// WorkerUID field is set by the Controller to assign this VM to a specific WorkerUID.
-	WorkerUID string `json:"worker"`
+	// Worker field is set by the Controller to assign this VM to a specific Worker.
+	Worker string `json:"worker"`
 
 	Username       string    `json:"username"`
 	Password       string    `json:"password"`
 	StartupScript  *VMScript `json:"startup_script"`
 	ShutdownScript *VMScript `json:"shutdown_script"`
 
+	// UID is a useful field for avoiding data races within a single Name.
+	//
+	// It is populated by the Controller when receiving a POST request.
+	UID string `json:"uid"`
+
 	Meta
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc/constants.go b/rpc/constants.go
index ceea681..f9cf3be 100644
--- a/rpc/constants.go
+++ b/rpc/constants.go
@@ -7,6 +7,4 @@ const MetadataServiceAccountTokenKey = "x-orchard-service-account-token"
 
 const MetadataWorkerNameKey = "x-orchard-worker-name"
 
-const MetadataWorkerUIDKey = "x-orchard-worker-uid"
-
 const MetadataWorkerPortForwardingSessionKey = "x-orchard-port-forwarding-session"