diff --git a/app/devices/device_copy.php b/app/devices/device_copy.php
index f2339b1f4f..75f413ab7e 100644
--- a/app/devices/device_copy.php
+++ b/app/devices/device_copy.php
@@ -47,6 +47,31 @@ else {
 		$mac_address_new = preg_replace('#[^a-fA-F0-9./]#', '', $mac_address_new);
 	}
 
+//set the default
+	$save = true;
+
+//check to see if the mac address exists
+	if ($mac_address_new == "" || $mac_address_new == "000000000000") {
+		//allow duplicates to be used as templaes
+	}
+	else {
+		$sql = "SELECT count(*) AS num_rows FROM v_devices ";
+		$sql .= "WHERE device_mac_address = '".$mac_address_new."' ";
+		$prep_statement = $db->prepare($sql);
+		if ($prep_statement) {
+			$prep_statement->execute();
+			$row = $prep_statement->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
+			if ($row['num_rows'] == "0") {
+				$save = true;
+			}
+			else {
+				$save = false;
+				$_SESSION['message'] =  $text['message-duplicate'];
+			}
+		}
+		unset($prep_statement);
+	}
+
 //get the device
 	$sql = "SELECT * FROM v_devices ";
 	$sql .= "where domain_uuid = '".$_SESSION['domain_uuid']."' ";
@@ -124,13 +149,15 @@ else {
 	$device["device_settings"] = $device_settings;
 
 //copy the device
-	$orm = new orm;
-	$orm->name('devices');
-	$orm->save($device);
-	$response = $orm->message;
+	if ($save) {
+		$orm = new orm;
+		$orm->name('devices');
+		$orm->save($device);
+		$response = $orm->message;
+		$_SESSION["message"] = $text['message-copy'];
+	}
 
 //redirect
-	$_SESSION["message"] = $text['message-copy'];
 	header("Location: devices.php");
 	return;
 
diff --git a/app/devices/device_edit.php b/app/devices/device_edit.php
index cf2befabea..f04bc8d5e1 100644
--- a/app/devices/device_edit.php
+++ b/app/devices/device_edit.php
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ require_once "resources/require.php";
 
 		//check for all required data
 			$msg = '';
-			if (strlen($device_mac_address) == 0) { $msg .= $text['message-required'].$text['label-extension']."<br>\n"; }
+			//if (strlen($device_mac_address) == 0) { $msg .= $text['message-required'].$text['label-extension']."<br>\n"; }
 			//if (strlen($device_label) == 0) { $msg .= "Please provide: Label<br>\n"; }
 			//if (strlen($device_vendor) == 0) { $msg .= "Please provide: Vendor<br>\n"; }
 			//if (strlen($device_model) == 0) { $msg .= "Please provide: Model<br>\n"; }
@@ -189,21 +189,26 @@ require_once "resources/require.php";
 
 				//check to see if the mac address exists
 					if ($action == "add") {
-						$sql = "SELECT count(*) AS num_rows FROM v_devices ";
-						$sql .= "WHERE device_mac_address = '".$device_mac_address."' ";
-						$prep_statement = $db->prepare($sql);
-						if ($prep_statement) {
-							$prep_statement->execute();
-							$row = $prep_statement->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
-							if ($row['num_rows'] == "0") {
-								$save = true;
-							}
-							else {
-								$save = false;
-								$_SESSION['message'] =  $text['message-duplicate'];
-							}
+						if ($device_mac_address == "" || $device_mac_address == "000000000000") {
+							//allow duplicates to be used as templaes
+						}
+						else {
+							$sql = "SELECT count(*) AS num_rows FROM v_devices ";
+							$sql .= "WHERE device_mac_address = '".$device_mac_address."' ";
+							$prep_statement = $db->prepare($sql);
+							if ($prep_statement) {
+								$prep_statement->execute();
+								$row = $prep_statement->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
+								if ($row['num_rows'] == "0") {
+									$save = true;
+								}
+								else {
+									$save = false;
+									$_SESSION['message'] =  $text['message-duplicate'];
+								}
+							}
+							unset($prep_statement);
 						}
-						unset($prep_statement);
 					}
 					else {
 						$save = true;