diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 4d6aa3137..11765c577 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ func (c *compiler) compileBoardsField(g *d2graph.Graph, ir *d2ir.Map, fieldName
 			continue
 		}
 		g2 := d2graph.NewGraph()
+		g2.Parent = g
 		g2.AST = g.AST
 		c.compileBoard(g2, f.Map())
 		g2.Name = f.Name
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index b546d9e64..a5f3e5022 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -2036,7 +2036,7 @@ layers: {
 	}
 }`,
 			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
-				tassert.Equal(t, g.Layers[0].Name, g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard.Name)
+				tassert.Equal(t, ".layers.x", g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard.AbsID())
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -2056,7 +2056,7 @@ scenarios: {
   }
 }`,
 			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
-				tassert.Equal(t, g.Layers[0].Name, g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard.Name)
+				tassert.Equal(t, ".layers.cat", g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard.AbsID())
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -2089,7 +2089,7 @@ layers: {
   }
 }`,
 			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
-				tassert.Equal(t, g.Layers[0].Layers[0], g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard)
+				tassert.Equal(t, ".layers.x.layers.x", g.Objects[0].LinkedBoard.AbsID())
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/d2graph/d2graph.go b/d2graph/d2graph.go
index cc4401abf..1defc43de 100644
--- a/d2graph/d2graph.go
+++ b/d2graph/d2graph.go
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ const DEFAULT_SHAPE_SIZE = 100.
 const MIN_SHAPE_SIZE = 5
 
 type Graph struct {
-	Name string `json:"name"`
+	Parent *Graph `json:"-"`
+	Name   string `json:"name"`
 	// IsFolderOnly indicates a board or scenario itself makes no modifications from its
 	// base. Folder only boards do not have a render and are used purely for organizing
 	// the board tree.
@@ -55,6 +56,28 @@ func NewGraph() *Graph {
 	return d
 }
 
+func (g *Graph) AbsID() string {
+	if g.Parent == nil {
+		return g.Name
+	}
+	for _, l := range g.Parent.Layers {
+		if l.Name == g.Name {
+			return g.Parent.AbsID() + ".layers." + g.Name
+		}
+	}
+	for _, s := range g.Parent.Scenarios {
+		if s.Name == g.Name {
+			return g.Parent.AbsID() + ".scenarios." + g.Name
+		}
+	}
+	for _, s := range g.Parent.Steps {
+		if s.Name == g.Name {
+			return g.Parent.AbsID() + ".steps." + g.Name
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 // TODO consider having different Scalar types
 // Right now we'll hold any types in Value and just convert, e.g. floats
 type Scalar struct {