diff --git a/geonode/api/resourcebase_api.py b/geonode/api/resourcebase_api.py
index f3c902c2a98..ede45cb577d 100644
--- a/geonode/api/resourcebase_api.py
+++ b/geonode/api/resourcebase_api.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class CommonMetaApi:
         'owner': ALL_WITH_RELATIONS,
         'date': ALL,
         'purpose': ALL,
+        'uuid': ALL_WITH_RELATIONS,
         'abstract': ALL
     }
     ordering = ['date', 'title', 'popular_count']
diff --git a/geonode/layers/models.py b/geonode/layers/models.py
index 4b3ea1af8f6..3c6d518878d 100644
--- a/geonode/layers/models.py
+++ b/geonode/layers/models.py
@@ -616,8 +616,14 @@ def pre_save_layer(instance, sender, **kwargs):
     if instance.owner is None:
         instance.owner = get_valid_user()
 
-    if instance.uuid == '':
-        instance.uuid = str(uuid.uuid1())
+    logger.debug("handling UUID In pre_save_layer")
+    if hasattr(settings, 'LAYER_UUID_HANDLER') and settings.LAYER_UUID_HANDLER != '':
+        logger.debug("using custom uuid handler In pre_save_layer")
+        from geonode.layers.utils import get_uuid_handler
+        instance.uuid = get_uuid_handler()(instance).create_uuid()
+    else:
+        if instance.uuid == '':
+            instance.uuid = str(uuid.uuid1())
 
     logger.debug("In pre_save_layer")
     if instance.alternate is None:
diff --git a/geonode/layers/tests.py b/geonode/layers/tests.py
index 88edb200197..e4ccf347b20 100644
--- a/geonode/layers/tests.py
+++ b/geonode/layers/tests.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #
 #########################################################################
 from geonode.tests.base import GeoNodeBaseTestSupport
-
+from django.test import TestCase
 import io
 import os
 import json
@@ -1544,3 +1544,39 @@ def test_that_only_users_with_permissions_can_view_maps_in_layer_view(self):
         self.client.login(username='admin', password='admin')
         response = self.client.get(reverse('layer_detail', args=(self.layer.alternate,)))
         self.assertEqual(response.context['map_layers'], [self.map_layer])
+
+
+'''
+Smoke test to explain how the uuidhandler will override the uuid for the layers
+Documentation of the handler is available here:
+https://github.com/GeoNode/documentation/blob/703cc6ba92b7b7a83637a874fb449420a9f8b78a/basic/settings/index.rst#uuid-handler
+'''
+
+
+class DummyUUIDHandler():
+    def __init__(self, instance):
+        self.instance = instance
+
+    def create_uuid(self):
+        return f'abc:{self.instance.uuid}'
+
+
+class TestCustomUUidHandler(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        User = get_user_model()
+        self.user = User.objects.create(username='test', email='test@test.com')
+        self.sut = Layer.objects.create(
+            name="testLayer", owner=self.user, title='test', is_approved=True, uuid='abc-1234-abc'
+        )
+
+    def test_layer_will_maintain_his_uud_if_no_handler_is_definded(self):
+        expected = "abc-1234-abc"
+        self.assertEqual(expected, self.sut.uuid)
+
+    @override_settings(LAYER_UUID_HANDLER="geonode.layers.tests.DummyUUIDHandler")
+    def test_layer_will_override_the_uuid_if_handler_is_defined(self):
+        self.sut.keywords.add(*["updating", "values"])
+        self.sut.save()
+        expected = "abc:abc-1234-abc"
+        actual = Layer.objects.get(id=self.sut.id)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, actual.uuid)
diff --git a/geonode/layers/utils.py b/geonode/layers/utils.py
index ec3c4086939..e6890626894 100644
--- a/geonode/layers/utils.py
+++ b/geonode/layers/utils.py
@@ -1388,3 +1388,8 @@ def set_layers_permissions(permissions_name, resources_names=None,
                         if verbose:
                             logger.info("Permissions successfully updated!")
                             print("Permissions successfully updated!")
+
+
+def get_uuid_handler():
+    from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
+    return import_string(settings.LAYER_UUID_HANDLER)
diff --git a/geonode/settings.py b/geonode/settings.py
index 8124b23afc5..cd1b389ecca 100644
--- a/geonode/settings.py
+++ b/geonode/settings.py
@@ -2122,3 +2122,4 @@ def get_geonode_catalogue_service():
 # -- END Settings for MONITORING plugin
 
 CATALOG_METADATA_TEMPLATE = os.getenv("CATALOG_METADATA_TEMPLATE", "catalogue/full_metadata.xml")
+