diff --git a/plugins/cleanupIDs.js b/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
index 7676d80a4..2b61b93f7 100644
--- a/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
+++ b/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
@@ -55,9 +55,24 @@ exports.fn = function(data, params) {
             var item = items.content[i];
 
             // quit if <style> of <script> presents ('force' param prevents quitting)
-            if (!params.force && item.isElem(styleOrScript)) {
-                hasStyleOrScript = true;
-                continue;
+            if (!params.force) {
+                if (item.isElem(styleOrScript)) {
+                    hasStyleOrScript = true;
+                    continue;
+                }
+                // Don't remove IDs if the whole SVG consists only of defs.
+                if (item.isElem('defs') && item.parentNode.isElem('svg')) {
+                    var hasDefsOnly = true;
+                    for (var j = i + 1; j < items.content.length; j++) {
+                        if (items.content[j].isElem()) {
+                            hasDefsOnly = false;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    if (hasDefsOnly) {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
             }
             // …and don't remove any ID if yes
             if (item.isElem()) {
diff --git a/test/plugins/cleanupIDs.11.svg b/test/plugins/cleanupIDs.11.svg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bf81db7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/plugins/cleanupIDs.11.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+    <defs>
+        <circle cx="100" cy="100" r="50" id="circle"/>
+        <ellipse cx="50" cy="50" rx="50" ry="10" id="ellipse"/>
+        <rect x="100" y="50" width="50" height="10" id="rect"/>
+    </defs>
+</svg>
+
+@@@
+
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+    <defs>
+        <circle cx="100" cy="100" r="50" id="circle"/>
+        <ellipse cx="50" cy="50" rx="50" ry="10" id="ellipse"/>
+        <rect x="100" y="50" width="50" height="10" id="rect"/>
+    </defs>
+</svg>