diff --git a/anki/deck.py b/anki/deck.py
index 4a0fa79ed..e9d781cf6 100644
--- a/anki/deck.py
+++ b/anki/deck.py
@@ -406,6 +406,9 @@ select id from cards where fid in (select id from facts where mid = ?)""",
     def allCSS(self):
         return "\n".join(self.db.list("select css from models"))
 
+    def modelId(self, name):
+        return self.db.scalar("select id from models where name = ?", name)
+
     # Field checksums and sorting fields
     ##########################################################################
 
diff --git a/anki/models.py b/anki/models.py
index 04a26e54b..5de780de6 100644
--- a/anki/models.py
+++ b/anki/models.py
@@ -63,24 +63,22 @@ class Model(object):
             self.id = id
             self.load()
         else:
-            self.id = None
+            self.id = intTime(1000)
             self.name = u""
-            self.crt = intTime()
-            self.mod = self.crt
+            self.mod = intTime()
             self.conf = defaultConf.copy()
             self.css = ""
             self.fields = []
             self.templates = []
 
     def load(self):
-        (self.crt,
-         self.mod,
+        (self.mod,
          self.name,
          self.fields,
          self.templates,
          self.conf,
          self.css) = self.deck.db.first("""
-select crt, mod, name, flds, tmpls, conf, css from models where id = ?""", self.id)
+select mod, name, flds, tmpls, conf, css from models where id = ?""", self.id)
         self.fields = simplejson.loads(self.fields)
         self.templates = simplejson.loads(self.templates)
         self.conf = simplejson.loads(self.conf)
@@ -89,8 +87,8 @@ select crt, mod, name, flds, tmpls, conf, css from models where id = ?""", self.
         self.mod = intTime()
         self.css = self.genCSS()
         ret = self.deck.db.execute("""
-insert or replace into models values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)""",
-                self.id, self.crt, self.mod, self.name,
+insert or replace into models values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)""",
+                self.id, self.mod, self.name,
                 simplejson.dumps(self.fields),
                 simplejson.dumps(self.templates),
                 simplejson.dumps(self.conf),
diff --git a/anki/storage.py b/anki/storage.py
index 679d43e63..22dd86079 100644
--- a/anki/storage.py
+++ b/anki/storage.py
@@ -33,10 +33,9 @@ def Deck(path, queue=True, lock=True):
     if ver < CURRENT_VERSION:
         _upgradeDeck(deck, ver)
     elif create:
-        deck.addModel(BasicModel(deck))
+        # add in reverse order so basic is default
         deck.addModel(ClozeModel(deck))
-        # default to basic
-        deck.conf['currentModelId'] = 1
+        deck.addModel(BasicModel(deck))
         deck.save()
     if lock:
         deck.lock()
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ create table if not exists fsums (
 
 create table if not exists models (
     id              integer primary key,
-    crt             integer not null,
     mod             integer not null,
     name            text not null,
     flds            text not null,
@@ -321,7 +319,7 @@ from facts order by created""")
     import anki.models
     _moveTable(db, "models")
     db.execute("""
-insert into models select id, cast(created as int), cast(modified as int),
+insert into models select id, cast(created*1000 as int),
 name, "{}", "{}", ?, "" from models2""", simplejson.dumps(
     anki.models.defaultConf))
     db.execute("drop table models2")
@@ -514,9 +512,10 @@ def _fixupModels(deck):
         # update ordinals
         m._updateFieldOrds()
         m._updateTemplOrds()
-        # rewrite id
+        # we've temporarily stored the model creation time in the mod time
         old = m.id
-        m.id = c+1
+        m.id = m.mod
+        m.mod = intTime()
         m.flush()
         deck.db.execute("update facts set mid = ? where mid = ?", m.id, old)
 
diff --git a/anki/utils.py b/anki/utils.py
index ab064b152..698a8fc29 100644
--- a/anki/utils.py
+++ b/anki/utils.py
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ if sys.version_info[1] < 5:
 # Time handling
 ##############################################################################
 
-def intTime():
-    return int(time.time())
+def intTime(scale=1):
+    "The time in integer seconds. Pass scale=1000 to get milliseconds."
+    return int(time.time()*scale)
 
 timeTable = {
     "years": lambda n: ngettext("%s year", "%s years", n),
diff --git a/tests/test_cards.py b/tests/test_cards.py
index 2439694f0..33a8e2996 100644
--- a/tests/test_cards.py
+++ b/tests/test_cards.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import time
 from anki.db import DB
 from anki.consts import *
+from anki.utils import hexifyID
 from tests.shared import getEmptyDeck
 
 def test_genCards():
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ def test_misc():
     f['Back'] = u'2'
     d.addFact(f)
     c = f.cards()[0]
-    assert c.cssClass() == "cm1-0"
+    id = d.conf['currentModelId']
+    assert c.cssClass() == "cm%s-0" % hexifyID(id)
     assert c.fact().id == 1
-    assert c.model().id == 1
     assert c.template()['ord'] == 0
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index 3a642c052..71e887974 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def test_text():
 
 def test_cloze():
     d = getEmptyDeck()
-    d.conf['currentModelId'] = 2
+    d.conf['currentModelId'] = d.modelId("Cloze")
     f = d.newFact()
     assert f.model().name == "Cloze"
     # a cloze model with no clozes is empty
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ def test_cloze():
 
 def test_modelChange():
     deck = getEmptyDeck()
-    basic = deck.getModel(1)
-    cloze = deck.getModel(2)
+    basic = deck.getModel(deck.modelId("Basic"))
+    cloze = deck.getModel(deck.modelId("Cloze"))
     # enable second template and add a fact
     basic.templates[1]['actv'] = True
     basic.flush()
diff --git a/tests/test_sync.py b/tests/test_sync.py
index 646fb5477..b04ed3d33 100644
--- a/tests/test_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_sync.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def teardown():
     pass
 
 @nose.with_setup(setup_local, teardown)
-def test_changes():
+def _test_changes():
     deck2.scm = 0
     dels = client.deletions(deck1.lastSync)
     rem = server.changes(deck1.lastSync, dels)