diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
index b7f5518ed1a566390bbd06f1fb1c6b82b5f002b7..4b4df3e4f52935362ca99ba3c7aad9fbc980893b 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ def assure_has_description(entity, description, to_be_updated=None,
 
 
 def assure_has_parent(entity, parent, to_be_updated=None, verbosity=INFO,
-                      force=False):
+                      force=False, unique=True):
     """
     Checks whether `entity` has a parent with name `parent`.
 
@@ -367,9 +367,9 @@ def assure_has_parent(entity, parent, to_be_updated=None, verbosity=INFO,
         # TODO  find a better way then force?
 
         if force:
-            entity.update(unique=False)
+            entity.update(unique=unique)
         else:
-            guard.safe_update(entity, unique=False)
+            guard.safe_update(entity, unique=unique)
     else:
         to_be_updated.append(entity)