diff --git a/src/core/models/app.ts b/src/core/models/app.ts
index 84a1670066..dedd8b8072 100644
--- a/src/core/models/app.ts
+++ b/src/core/models/app.ts
@@ -8,15 +8,6 @@ export type AppState = {
   overlay: undefined | Overlay
 }
 
-export const generateId = () => {
-  return `comp-${(
-    Date.now().toString(36) +
-    Math.random()
-      .toString(36)
-      .substr(2, 5)
-  ).toUpperCase()}`
-}
-
 const app = createModel({
   state: {
     showLayout: true,
diff --git a/src/core/models/components.ts b/src/core/models/components.ts
index 0b777fa215..809588fe3e 100644
--- a/src/core/models/components.ts
+++ b/src/core/models/components.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { createModel } from '@rematch/core'
 import { DEFAULT_PROPS } from '../../utils/defaultProps'
 import omit from 'lodash/omit'
 import templates, { TemplateType } from '../../templates'
-import { generateId } from './app'
+import { generateId } from '../../utils/generateId'
+import { duplicateComponent, deleteComponent } from '../../utils/recursive'
 
 export type ComponentsState = {
   components: IComponents
@@ -98,21 +99,7 @@ const components = createModel({
         }
       }
 
-      const deleteRecursive = (
-        children: IComponent['children'],
-        id: IComponent['id'],
-      ) => {
-        children.forEach(child => {
-          updatedComponents[child] &&
-            deleteRecursive(updatedComponents[child].children, componentId)
-        })
-
-        updatedComponents = omit(updatedComponents, id)
-      }
-
-      deleteRecursive(component.children, componentId)
-
-      updatedComponents = omit(updatedComponents, componentId)
+      updatedComponents = deleteComponent(component, updatedComponents)
 
       return {
         ...state,
@@ -264,29 +251,10 @@ const components = createModel({
       if (selectedComponent.id !== DEFAULT_ID) {
         const parentElement = state.components[selectedComponent.parent]
 
-        const clonedComponents: IComponents = {}
-
-        const cloneComponent = (component: IComponent) => {
-          const newid = generateId()
-          const children = component.children.map(child => {
-            return cloneComponent(state.components[child])
-          })
-
-          clonedComponents[newid] = {
-            ...component,
-            id: newid,
-            props: { ...component.props },
-            children,
-          }
-
-          children.forEach(child => {
-            clonedComponents[child].parent = newid
-          })
-
-          return newid
-        }
-
-        const newId = cloneComponent(selectedComponent)
+        const { newId, clonedComponents } = duplicateComponent(
+          selectedComponent,
+          state.components,
+        )
 
         return {
           ...state,
diff --git a/src/core/models/composer/composer.ts b/src/core/models/composer/composer.ts
index 86e3858f57..00d421dc35 100644
--- a/src/core/models/composer/composer.ts
+++ b/src/core/models/composer/composer.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { DEFAULT_PROPS } from '../../../utils/defaultProps'
-import { generateId } from '../app'
+import { generateId } from '../../../utils/generateId'
 
 type AddNode = {
   type: ComponentType
diff --git a/src/utils/generateId.ts b/src/utils/generateId.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..359d6ea4c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/generateId.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+export const generateId = () => {
+  return `comp-${(
+    Date.now().toString(36) +
+    Math.random()
+      .toString(36)
+      .substr(2, 5)
+  ).toUpperCase()}`
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/recursive.test.ts b/src/utils/recursive.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc28e5d95d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/recursive.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+import { generateId } from './generateId'
+import { duplicateComponent, deleteComponent } from './recursive'
+
+jest.mock('./generateId')
+
+const mockGenerateId: jest.Mock<typeof generateId> = generateId as any
+
+describe('recursive functions', () => {
+  let id = 1
+  let mockFn: typeof mockGenerateId
+
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    // @ts-ignore
+    mockFn = mockGenerateId.mockImplementation(() => {
+      return `comp-${id++}`
+    })
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    id = 1
+  })
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    mockFn.mockClear()
+  })
+
+  it('should duplicate a Box component containing an Avatar', () => {
+    const initialComponents: IComponents = {}
+
+    const first = generateId()
+    const second = generateId()
+
+    initialComponents.root = {
+      id: 'root',
+      type: 'Box',
+      parent: 'root',
+      props: {},
+      children: [first],
+    }
+
+    initialComponents[first] = {
+      id: first,
+      type: 'Box',
+      parent: 'root',
+      props: {},
+      children: [second],
+    }
+
+    initialComponents[second] = {
+      id: second,
+      type: 'Avatar',
+      parent: first,
+      props: {},
+      children: [],
+    }
+
+    const { clonedComponents } = duplicateComponent(
+      initialComponents[first],
+      initialComponents,
+    )
+
+    expect(Object.keys(clonedComponents).length).toEqual(2)
+
+    const finalTree = {
+      ...initialComponents,
+      ...clonedComponents,
+    }
+
+    const avatars = Object.keys(finalTree).filter(
+      compKey => finalTree[compKey].type === 'Avatar',
+    )
+    const boxes = Object.keys(finalTree).filter(
+      compKey => finalTree[compKey].type === 'Box',
+    )
+
+    expect(avatars.length).toEqual(2)
+    expect(boxes.length).toEqual(3)
+  })
+
+  it('should remove a Box containing an avatar and a badge', () => {
+    const initialComponents: IComponents = {}
+
+    const first = generateId()
+    const second = generateId()
+    const third = generateId()
+
+    initialComponents.root = {
+      id: 'root',
+      type: 'Box',
+      parent: 'root',
+      props: {},
+      children: [first],
+    }
+
+    initialComponents[first] = {
+      id: first,
+      type: 'Box',
+      parent: 'root',
+      props: {},
+      children: [second],
+    }
+
+    initialComponents[second] = {
+      id: second,
+      type: 'Avatar',
+      parent: first,
+      props: {},
+      children: [third],
+    }
+
+    initialComponents[third] = {
+      id: third,
+      type: 'AvatarBadge',
+      parent: second,
+      props: {},
+      children: [],
+    }
+
+    const updatedComponents = deleteComponent(
+      initialComponents[first],
+      initialComponents,
+    )
+
+    expect(Object.keys(updatedComponents).length).toEqual(1)
+    expect(Object.keys(updatedComponents)[0]).toEqual('root')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/utils/recursive.ts b/src/utils/recursive.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e1889266d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/recursive.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import omit from 'lodash/omit'
+import { generateId } from './generateId'
+
+export const duplicateComponent = (
+  componentToClone: IComponent,
+  components: IComponents,
+) => {
+  const clonedComponents: IComponents = {}
+
+  const cloneComponent = (component: IComponent) => {
+    const newid = generateId()
+    const children = component.children.map(child => {
+      return cloneComponent(components[child])
+    })
+
+    clonedComponents[newid] = {
+      ...component,
+      id: newid,
+      props: { ...component.props },
+      children,
+    }
+
+    children.forEach(child => {
+      clonedComponents[child].parent = newid
+    })
+
+    return newid
+  }
+
+  const newId = cloneComponent(componentToClone)
+
+  return {
+    newId,
+    clonedComponents,
+  }
+}
+
+export const deleteComponent = (
+  component: IComponent,
+  components: IComponents,
+) => {
+  let updatedComponents = { ...components }
+  const deleteRecursive = (
+    children: IComponent['children'],
+    id: IComponent['id'],
+  ) => {
+    children.forEach(child => {
+      updatedComponents[child] &&
+        deleteRecursive(updatedComponents[child].children, child)
+    })
+
+    updatedComponents = omit(updatedComponents, id)
+  }
+
+  deleteRecursive(component.children, component.id)
+  updatedComponents = omit(updatedComponents, component.id)
+  return updatedComponents
+}