diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 309f1189..01fc90f6 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # r2dii.match (development version)
 
+* `match_name` gains argument `join_id` allowing an optional perfect join based on a mutual ID column between `loanbook` and `abcd` inputs, prior to attempting fuzzy matching (#135).
+
 # r2dii.match 0.1.4
 
 * `to_alias` can now handle strange encodings without error (#425, @kalashsinghal @Tilmon).
diff --git a/R/match_name.R b/R/match_name.R
index a2910b81..3a4f3c80 100644
--- a/R/match_name.R
+++ b/R/match_name.R
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 #'   only `sector`, the value in the `name` column should be `NA` and
 #'   vice-versa. This file can be used to manually match loanbook companies to
 #'   abcd.
+#' @param join_id A join specification passed to [dplyr::inner_join()]. If a
+#'   character string, it assumes identical join columns between `loanbook` and
+#'   `abcd`. If a named character vector, it uses the name as the join column of `loanbook` and
+#'   the value as the join column of `abcd`.
 #' @param ... Arguments passed on to [stringdist::stringsim()].
 #' @param ald `r lifecycle::badge('superseded')` `ald` has been superseded by
 #'   `abcd`.
@@ -83,6 +87,25 @@
 #'   code_system = "XYZ"
 #' )
 #'
+#' # match on LEI
+#' loanbook <- tibble(
+#'   sector_classification_system = "XYZ",
+#'   sector_classification_direct_loantaker = "D35.11",
+#'   id_ultimate_parent = "UP15",
+#'   name_ultimate_parent = "Won't fuzzy match",
+#'   id_direct_loantaker = "C294",
+#'   name_direct_loantaker = "Won't fuzzy match",
+#'   lei_direct_loantaker = "LEI123"
+#' )
+#'
+#' abcd <- tibble(
+#'   name_company = "alpine knits india pvt. limited",
+#'   sector = "power",
+#'   lei = "LEI123"
+#' )
+#'
+#' match_name(loanbook, abcd, join_by = c(lei_direct_loantaker = "lei"))
+#'
 #' restore <- options(r2dii.match.sector_classifications = your_classifications)
 #'
 #' loanbook <- tibble(
@@ -111,6 +134,7 @@ match_name <- function(loanbook,
                        method = "jw",
                        p = 0.1,
                        overwrite = NULL,
+                       join_id = NULL,
                        ald = deprecated(),
                        ...) {
   restore <- options(datatable.allow.cartesian = TRUE)
@@ -125,16 +149,77 @@ match_name <- function(loanbook,
     abcd <- ald
   }
 
-  match_name_impl(
-    loanbook = loanbook,
-    abcd = abcd,
-    by_sector = by_sector,
-    min_score = min_score,
-    method = method,
-    p = p,
-    overwrite = overwrite,
-    ...
-  )
+  if (!is.null(join_id)) {
+    check_join_id(join_id, loanbook, abcd)
+
+    crucial_names <- c("name_company", "sector", join_id)
+    check_crucial_names(abcd, crucial_names)
+
+    prep_abcd <- dplyr::transmute(
+      abcd,
+      name_abcd = .data[["name_company"]],
+      sector_abcd = tolower(.data[["sector"]]),
+      !!join_id := .data[[join_id]]
+    )
+
+    prep_abcd <- dplyr::distinct(prep_abcd)
+
+    prep_lbk <- may_add_sector_and_borderline(loanbook)
+    prep_lbk <- distinct(prep_lbk)
+
+    join_matched <- dplyr::inner_join(
+      prep_lbk,
+      prep_abcd,
+      by = join_id,
+      na_matches = "never"
+      )
+
+    join_by_list <- as_join_by(join_id)
+    loanbook_join_id <- join_by_list[[1]]
+
+    join_matched <- dplyr::mutate(
+      join_matched,
+      score = 1,
+      source = "id joined",
+      level = loanbook_join_id,
+      name = .data[["name_abcd"]]
+    )
+
+    loanbook <- dplyr::filter(
+      loanbook,
+      !.data[[loanbook_join_id]] %in% join_matched[[loanbook_join_id]]
+    )
+  }
+
+  if (nrow(loanbook) != 0) {
+    fuzzy_matched <- match_name_impl(
+      loanbook = loanbook,
+      abcd = abcd,
+      by_sector = by_sector,
+      min_score = min_score,
+      method = method,
+      p = p,
+      overwrite = overwrite,
+      ...
+    )
+  } else {
+    fuzzy_matched <- tibble()
+  }
+
+  if (exists("join_matched")) {
+    out <- dplyr::bind_rows(join_matched, fuzzy_matched)
+  } else if (nrow(fuzzy_matched) == 0 && exists("join_matched")) {
+    out <- join_matched
+  } else {
+    out <- fuzzy_matched
+  }
+
+  if (identical(nrow(out), 0L)) {
+    rlang::warn("Found no match.")
+    return(empty_loanbook_tibble(loanbook, dplyr::groups(loanbook)))
+  }
+
+  out
 }
 
 match_name_impl <- function(loanbook,
@@ -145,6 +230,7 @@ match_name_impl <- function(loanbook,
                             p = 0.1,
                             overwrite = NULL,
                             ...) {
+
   old_groups <- dplyr::groups(loanbook)
   loanbook <- ungroup(loanbook)
 
@@ -164,8 +250,8 @@ match_name_impl <- function(loanbook,
   setDT(a)
 
   if (identical(nrow(a), 0L)) {
-    rlang::warn("Found no match.")
-    return(empty_loanbook_tibble(loanbook, old_groups))
+    rlang::inform("Found no match via fuzzy matching.")
+    return(a)
   }
 
   a <- unique(a)[
@@ -179,8 +265,8 @@ match_name_impl <- function(loanbook,
   a <- a[score >= min_score, ]
 
   if (identical(nrow(a), 0L)) {
-    rlang::warn("Found no match.")
-    return(empty_loanbook_tibble(loanbook, old_groups))
+    rlang::inform("Found no match via fuzzy matching.")
+    return(a)
   }
 
   l <- rename(prep_lbk, alias_lbk = "alias")
@@ -349,3 +435,58 @@ names_added_by_match_name <- function() {
     "borderline"
   )
 }
+
+check_join_id <- function(join_id, loanbook, abcd) {
+
+  join_id_list <- as_join_by(join_id)
+
+  if (!rlang::has_name(loanbook, join_id_list[[1]])) {
+    rlang::abort(
+      "join_id_not_in_loanbook",
+      message = glue(
+        "The join_id `{join_id_list[[1]]}` must be present in `loanbook` input."
+      )
+    )
+  } else if (!rlang::has_name(abcd, join_id_list[[2]])) {
+    rlang::abort(
+      "join_id_not_in_abcd",
+      message = glue(
+        "The join_id `{join_id_list[[2]]}` must be present in `abcd` input."
+      )
+    )
+  }
+
+  invisible(join_id)
+}
+
+as_join_by <- function(x) {
+
+  if (rlang::is_list(x)) {
+    if (length(x) != 1L) {
+      rlang::abort("`join_id` must be a vector of length 1.")
+    }
+    x_name <- names(x) %||% x
+    y_name <- unname(x)
+  } else if (rlang::is_character(x)) {
+    x_name <- names(x) %||% x
+    y_name <- unname(x)
+
+    # If x partially named, assume unnamed are the same in both tables
+    x_name[x_name == ""] <- y_name[x_name == ""]
+  } else {
+    rlang::abort("`by` must be a string or a character vector.")
+  }
+
+  if (!rlang::is_character(x_name)) {
+    rlang::abort("`by$x` must evaluate to a character vector.")
+  }
+  if (!rlang::is_character(y_name)) {
+    rlang::abort("`by$y` must evaluate to a character vector.")
+  }
+
+  c(x_name, y_name)
+}
+
+`%||%` <- function(x, y) {
+  if (is.null(x)) y else x
+}
diff --git a/R/restructure_abcd.R b/R/restructure_abcd.R
index 06c8bd6a..14a273b7 100644
--- a/R/restructure_abcd.R
+++ b/R/restructure_abcd.R
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #' from values in the `name_company` column.
 #'
 #' @param data A data frame. Should be an asset-level dataset.
+#' @param join_id (Optional) A string giving the name of an `ID` column to
+#'   preserve in the restructuring
 #'
 #' @seealso [r2dii.data::abcd_demo] `to_alias()`.
 #'
@@ -15,12 +17,15 @@
 #' restructure_abcd(r2dii.data::abcd_demo)
 #' @noRd
 restructure_abcd <- function(data) {
-  check_crucial_names(data, c("name_company", "sector"))
+  crucial_names <- c("name_company", "sector")
+  check_crucial_names(data, crucial_names)
 
   out <- dplyr::transmute(
     data,
-    name = .data$name_company, sector = tolower(.data$sector)
+    name = .data$name_company,
+    sector = tolower(.data$sector)
   )
+
   out <- distinct(out)
   add_alias(out)
 }
diff --git a/man/match_name.Rd b/man/match_name.Rd
index bf4bebaf..a54945ee 100644
--- a/man/match_name.Rd
+++ b/man/match_name.Rd
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ match_name(
   method = "jw",
   p = 0.1,
   overwrite = NULL,
+  join_id = NULL,
   ald = deprecated(),
   ...
 )
@@ -39,6 +40,11 @@ only \code{sector}, the value in the \code{name} column should be \code{NA} and
 vice-versa. This file can be used to manually match loanbook companies to
 abcd.}
 
+\item{join_id}{A join specification passed to \code{\link[dplyr:mutate-joins]{dplyr::inner_join()}}. If a
+character string, it assumes identical join columns between \code{loanbook} and
+\code{abcd}. If a named character vector, it uses the name as the join column of \code{loanbook} and
+the value as the join column of \code{abcd}.}
+
 \item{ald}{\ifelse{html}{\href{https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#superseded}{\figure{lifecycle-superseded.svg}{options: alt='[Superseded]'}}}{\strong{[Superseded]}} \code{ald} has been superseded by
 \code{abcd}.}
 
@@ -124,6 +130,25 @@ your_classifications <- tibble(
   code_system = "XYZ"
 )
 
+# match on LEI
+loanbook <- tibble(
+  sector_classification_system = "XYZ",
+  sector_classification_direct_loantaker = "D35.11",
+  id_ultimate_parent = "UP15",
+  name_ultimate_parent = "Won't fuzzy match",
+  id_direct_loantaker = "C294",
+  name_direct_loantaker = "Won't fuzzy match",
+  lei_direct_loantaker = "LEI123"
+)
+
+abcd <- tibble(
+  name_company = "alpine knits india pvt. limited",
+  sector = "power",
+  lei = "LEI123"
+)
+
+match_name(loanbook, abcd, join_by = c(lei_direct_loantaker = "lei"))
+
 restore <- options(r2dii.match.sector_classifications = your_classifications)
 
 loanbook <- tibble(
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-match_name.R b/tests/testthat/test-match_name.R
index e5b28bb6..136fb950 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-match_name.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-match_name.R
@@ -723,3 +723,124 @@ test_that("allows custom `sector_classifications` via options() (#354)", {
   expect_equal(nrow(out), 1L)
   options(old)
 })
+
+test_that("with `join_id`, joins as expected (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  loanbook <- fake_lbk(
+    name_direct_loantaker = "DL won't fuzzy match",
+    name_ultimate_parent = "UP won't fuzzy match",
+    id_col = "LEI123"
+    )
+
+  abcd <- fake_abcd(
+    id_col = "LEI123"
+  )
+
+  # expect no match here, the company names are completely different
+  expect_warning(match_name(loanbook, abcd, join_id = NULL), "no match")
+
+  # expect exactly one match here, based on input ID
+  out_with_join_id <- match_name(loanbook, abcd, join_id = "id_col")
+  expect_equal(nrow(out_with_join_id), 1L)
+  expect_contains(names(out_with_join_id), "id_col")
+  expect_equal(unique(out_with_join_id$id_col), "LEI123")
+
+})
+
+test_that("with `join_id` accepts named character vector input indicating different cols (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  loanbook <- fake_lbk(
+    name_direct_loantaker = "DL won't fuzzy match",
+    name_ultimate_parent = "UP won't fuzzy match",
+    lei_direct_loantaker = "LEI123"
+  )
+
+  abcd <- fake_abcd(
+    lei = "LEI123"
+  )
+
+  out_with_join_id <- match_name(
+    loanbook,
+    abcd,
+    join_id = c(lei_direct_loantaker = "lei")
+    )
+
+  expect_equal(nrow(out_with_join_id), 1L)
+  expect_contains(names(out_with_join_id), "lei_direct_loantaker")
+  expect_equal(unique(out_with_join_id$lei_direct_loantaker), "LEI123")
+
+})
+
+test_that("with `join_id`, outputs data with loanbook join column (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  # with `join_id` as character
+  out <- match_name(
+    fake_lbk(foo = "1"),
+    fake_abcd(foo = "1"),
+    join_id = "foo"
+    )
+
+  expect_contains(names(out), "foo")
+
+  # with `join_id` as a named vector
+  out <- match_name(
+    fake_lbk(foo_lbk = "1"),
+    fake_abcd(foo_abcd = "1"),
+    join_id = c(foo_lbk = "foo_abcd")
+  )
+
+  expect_contains(names(out), "foo_lbk")
+
+})
+
+test_that("with `join_id` and multiple matches, prefers ID (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  # loanbook might match at UP
+  loanbook <- fake_lbk(
+    name_direct_loantaker = "DL won't fuzzy match",
+    name_ultimate_parent = "UP will fuzzy match",
+    lei_direct_loantaker = "LEI123"
+  )
+
+  abcd <- fake_abcd(
+    lei = "LEI123",
+    name_company = "UP will fuzzy match"
+  )
+
+  # with `join_id` as named vector
+  out <- match_name(
+    loanbook,
+    abcd,
+    join_id = c(lei_direct_loantaker = "lei")
+  )
+
+  expect_equal(unique(out$lei_direct_loantaker), "LEI123")
+
+})
+
+test_that("with `join_id` and one ID match, one fuzzy match, outputs as expected (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  loanbook <- fake_lbk(
+    id_loan = c("L1", "L2"), # L1 should ID match, L2 should fuzzy match
+    name_direct_loantaker = "DL won't fuzzy match",
+    name_ultimate_parent = c("UP won't fuzzy match", "UP will fuzzy match"),
+    lei_direct_loantaker = c("LEI123", NA_character_)
+  )
+
+  abcd <- fake_abcd(
+    name_company = c("a power company", "UP will fuzzy match"),
+    lei = c("LEI123", NA_character_)
+  )
+
+  out <- match_name(
+    loanbook,
+    abcd,
+    join_id = c(lei_direct_loantaker = "lei")
+  )
+
+  out <- split(out, out$id_loan)
+
+  expect_equal(out$L1$lei_direct_loantaker, "LEI123")
+  expect_equal(out$L2$name_abcd, "UP will fuzzy match")
+
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-prioritize.R b/tests/testthat/test-prioritize.R
index bd90d2c6..33a6d6f1 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-prioritize.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-prioritize.R
@@ -235,3 +235,13 @@ test_that("with 0-row input returns 0-row input", {
 
   expect_no_error(prioritize(zero_row))
 })
+
+test_that("with `match_name` with `join_id`, outputs as expected (#135)", {
+  skip_if_r2dii_data_outdated()
+  lbk <- fake_lbk(id_loan = "L1", id_col = "1")
+  abcd <- fake_abcd(id_col = "1")
+  matched <- match_name(lbk, abcd, join_id = "id_col")
+
+  out <- prioritize(matched)
+  expect_equal(nrow(out), 1L)
+})