diff --git a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.h b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.h
--- a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.h
+++ b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.h
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@
 public:
   ExternalScriptItem();
 
+  /**
+   * The key is supposed to be unique inside the model
+   * @return The key of this script item
+   */
+  QString key() const;
+  /**
+   * Sets the label
+   */
+  void setKey( const QString& key );
+
   /**
    * @return The command to execute.
    */
@@ -196,8 +206,9 @@
   /**
    * Saves this item after changes.
    */
-  void save() const;
+  void update() const;
 private:
+  QString m_key;
   QString m_command;
   QString m_workingDirectory;
   SaveMode m_saveMode = SaveNone;
diff --git a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.cpp b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.cpp
--- a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.cpp
+++ b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptitem.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,17 @@
 {
 }
 
+QString ExternalScriptItem::key() const
+{
+  return m_key;
+}
+
+void ExternalScriptItem::setKey(const QString& key)
+{
+  m_key = key;
+}
+
+
 QString ExternalScriptItem::command() const
 {
   return m_command;
@@ -144,9 +155,9 @@
   m_performReplacements = perform;
 }
 
-void ExternalScriptItem::save() const
+void ExternalScriptItem::update() const
 {
-  ExternalScriptPlugin::self()->saveItem( this );
+  ExternalScriptPlugin::self()->updateItem( this );
 }
 
 // kate: indent-mode cstyle; space-indent on; indent-width 2; replace-tabs on; 
diff --git a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.h b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.h
--- a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.h
+++ b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
    */
   KConfigGroup getConfig() const;
 
-  void saveItem(const ExternalScriptItem* item);
+  void updateItem(const ExternalScriptItem* item);
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
   void executeScriptFromActionData() const;
@@ -82,16 +82,23 @@
    * Executes the command synchronously and returns the output text (Used by the shell-integration)
    * */
   Q_SCRIPTABLE QString executeCommandSync(const QString& command, const QString& workingDirectory) const;
-  
+
 private Q_SLOTS:
-  void rowsRemoved( const QModelIndex& parent, int start, int end );
+  void rowsAboutToBeRemoved( const QModelIndex& parent, int start, int end );
   void rowsInserted( const QModelIndex& parent, int start, int end );
   void executeScriptFromContextMenu() const;
 
 private:
   /// @param row row in the model for the item to save
   void saveItemForRow( int row );
 
+  /**
+   * Sets up unique keys for items in the range [start, end]
+   * @param start start of the range
+   * @param end end of the range
+   */
+  void setupKeys( int start, int end );
+
   QStandardItemModel* m_model;
   QList<QUrl> m_urls;
   static ExternalScriptPlugin* m_self;
diff --git a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.cpp b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.cpp
--- a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptplugin.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include <QStandardItemModel>
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QMenu>
+#include <QSet>
 
 
 K_PLUGIN_FACTORY_WITH_JSON(ExternalScriptFactory, "kdevexternalscript.json", registerPlugin<ExternalScriptPlugin>();)
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@
     KConfigGroup script = config.group( group );
     if ( script.hasKey( "name" ) && script.hasKey( "command" ) ) {
       ExternalScriptItem* item = new ExternalScriptItem;
+      item->setKey( script.name() );
       item->setText( script.readEntry( "name" ) );
       item->setCommand( script.readEntry( "command" ));
       item->setInputMode( static_cast<ExternalScriptItem::InputMode>( script.readEntry( "inputMode", 0u ) ) );
@@ -124,8 +126,8 @@
 
   core()->uiController()->addToolView( i18n( "External Scripts" ), m_factory );
 
-  connect( m_model, &QStandardItemModel::rowsRemoved,
-           this, &ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsRemoved );
+  connect( m_model, &QStandardItemModel::rowsAboutToBeRemoved,
+           this, &ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsAboutToBeRemoved );
   connect( m_model, &QStandardItemModel::rowsInserted,
            this, &ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsInserted );
 
@@ -335,27 +337,32 @@
 
 void ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsInserted( const QModelIndex& /*parent*/, int start, int end )
 {
-  for ( int i = start; i <= end; ++i ) {
-    saveItemForRow( i );
+  setupKeys( start, end );
+  for ( int row = start; row <= end; ++row ) {
+    saveItemForRow( row );
   }
 }
 
-void ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsRemoved( const QModelIndex& /*parent*/, int start, int end )
+void ExternalScriptPlugin::rowsAboutToBeRemoved( const QModelIndex& /*parent*/, int start, int end )
 {
   KConfigGroup config = getConfig();
-  for ( int i = start; i <= end; ++i ) {
-    KConfigGroup child = config.group( QStringLiteral("script %1").arg(i) );
+  for ( int row = start; row <= end; ++row ) {
+    const ExternalScriptItem* const item = static_cast<ExternalScriptItem*>( m_model->item( row ) );
+    KConfigGroup child = config.group( item->key() );
     qCDebug(PLUGIN_EXTERNALSCRIPT) << "removing config group:" << child.name();
     child.deleteGroup();
   }
   config.sync();
 }
 
-void ExternalScriptPlugin::saveItem( const ExternalScriptItem* item )
+void ExternalScriptPlugin::updateItem( const ExternalScriptItem* item )
 {
   const QModelIndex index = m_model->indexFromItem( item );
   Q_ASSERT( index.isValid() );
-  saveItemForRow( index.row() );
+
+  getConfig().group( item->key() ).deleteGroup(); // delete the previous group
+  setupKeys( index.row(), index.row() );
+  saveItemForRow( index.row() ); // save the new group
 }
 
 void ExternalScriptPlugin::saveItemForRow( int row )
@@ -367,7 +374,7 @@
   Q_ASSERT( item );
 
   qCDebug(PLUGIN_EXTERNALSCRIPT) << "save extern script:" << item << idx;
-  KConfigGroup config = getConfig().group( QStringLiteral("script %1").arg( row ) );
+  KConfigGroup config = getConfig().group( item->key() );
   config.writeEntry( "name", item->text() );
   config.writeEntry( "command", item->command() );
   config.writeEntry( "inputMode", (uint) item->inputMode() );
@@ -380,6 +387,33 @@
   config.sync();
 }
 
+void ExternalScriptPlugin::setupKeys(int start, int end)
+{
+  QSet<QString> keySet;
+  for ( int row = 0; row < m_model->rowCount(); ++row ) {
+    if (row == start) {
+      row = end;
+    } else {
+      const ExternalScriptItem* const item = static_cast<ExternalScriptItem*>( m_model->item( row ) );
+      keySet.insert( item->key() );
+    }
+  }
+
+  for ( int row = start; row <= end; ++row ) {
+    ExternalScriptItem* const item = static_cast<ExternalScriptItem*>( m_model->item( row ) );
+
+    int maxSuffix = 0;
+    QString keyCandidate = item->text() + QString::number( maxSuffix );
+    for (; keySet.contains( keyCandidate ); ++maxSuffix) {
+      keyCandidate = item->text() + QString::number( maxSuffix);
+    }
+
+    qCDebug(PLUGIN_EXTERNALSCRIPT) << "set key" << keyCandidate << "for" << item << item->command();
+    item->setKey(keyCandidate);
+    keySet.insert(keyCandidate);
+  }
+}
+
 #include "externalscriptplugin.moc"
 
 // kate: indent-mode cstyle; space-indent on; indent-width 2; replace-tabs on;
diff --git a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptview.cpp b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptview.cpp
--- a/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptview.cpp
+++ b/plugins/externalscript/externalscriptview.cpp
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@
 
   KDevelop::ScopedDialog<EditExternalScript> dlg( item, this );
   if (dlg->exec() == QDialog::Accepted) {
-    item->save();
+    item->update();
   }
 }