diff --git a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/schedulers/core_scheduler.py b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/schedulers/core_scheduler.py
index 2ff995b8..c7f4d4b4 100644
--- a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/schedulers/core_scheduler.py
+++ b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/schedulers/core_scheduler.py
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ class CoreScheduler:
     telescope : `str`
         Which telescope model to use for rotTelPos/rotSkyPos conversions.
         Default "rubin".
+    target_id_counter : int
+        Starting value for the target_id. If restarting observations, could
+        be useful to set to whatever value the scheduler was at previously.
+        Default 0.
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ def __init__(
         log=None,
         keep_rewards=False,
         telescope="rubin",
+        target_id_counter=0,
     ):
         self.keep_rewards = keep_rewards
         # Use integer ns just to be sure there are no rounding issues.
@@ -86,9 +91,12 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.rc = rotation_converter(telescope=telescope)
 
-        # keep track of how many observations get flushed from the queue
+        # Keep track of how many observations get flushed from the queue
         self.flushed = 0
 
+        # Counter for observations added to the queue
+        self.target_id_counter = target_id_counter
+
     def flush_queue(self):
         """Like it sounds, clear any currently queued desired observations."""
         self.queue = []
@@ -302,14 +310,16 @@ def _fill_queue(self):
             # Take a min here, so the surveys will be executed in the order
             # they are entered if there is a tie.
             self.survey_index[1] = np.min(np.where(rewards == np.nanmax(rewards)))
-            # Survey returns ObservationArray. Convert to list.
-            result = (
-                self.survey_lists[self.survey_index[0]][self.survey_index[1]]
-                .generate_observations(self.conditions)
-                .tolist()
+            # Survey returns ObservationArray
+            result = self.survey_lists[self.survey_index[0]][self.survey_index[1]].generate_observations(
+                self.conditions
             )
+            # Tag with a unique target_id
+            result["target_id"] = np.arange(self.target_id_counter, self.target_id_counter + result.size)
+            self.target_id_counter += result.size
 
-            self.queue = result
+            # Convert to a list for the queue
+            self.queue = result.tolist()
             self.queue_filled = self.conditions.mjd
 
         if len(self.queue) == 0:
diff --git a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/surveys/surveys.py b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/surveys/surveys.py
index da72df3a..668a29cd 100644
--- a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/surveys/surveys.py
+++ b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/surveys/surveys.py
@@ -510,7 +510,6 @@ def generate_observations_rough(self, conditions):
             observations["nexp"] = self.nexp_dict[self.filtername1]
         observations["exptime"] = self.exptime
         observations["scheduler_note"] = self.scheduler_note
-        observations["block_id"] = self.counter
         observations["flush_by_mjd"] = flush_time
 
         return observations
diff --git a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/utils/utils.py b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/utils/utils.py
index 66274b23..7f3a8cb9 100644
--- a/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/utils/utils.py
+++ b/rubin_scheduler/scheduler/utils/utils.py
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ def __new__(cls, n=1):
             ("note", "U40"),
             ("scheduler_note", "U40"),
             ("target_name", "U40"),
-            ("block_id", int),
+            ("target_id", int),
             ("lmst", float),
             ("rotTelPos", float),
             ("rotTelPos_backup", float),