diff --git a/src/Model/Entity/Individual.php b/src/Model/Entity/Individual.php
index ef8e5db..471df36 100644
--- a/src/Model/Entity/Individual.php
+++ b/src/Model/Entity/Individual.php
@@ -7,5 +7,9 @@ use Cake\ORM\Entity;
 
 class Individual extends AppModel
 {
-
+    protected $_accessible = [
+        '*' => true,
+        'id' => false,
+        'uuid' => false,
+    ];
 }
diff --git a/src/Model/Table/IndividualsTable.php b/src/Model/Table/IndividualsTable.php
index d0df577..79c6982 100644
--- a/src/Model/Table/IndividualsTable.php
+++ b/src/Model/Table/IndividualsTable.php
@@ -55,26 +55,21 @@ class IndividualsTable extends AppTable
             return null;
         }
         if (empty($existingIndividual)) {
-            $entity = $this->newEntity($individual, ['associated' => []]);
-            if (!$this->save($entity)) {
-                return null;
-            }
-            $individual = $entity;
+            $entity = $this->newEmptyEntity();
+            $this->patchEntity($entity, $individual, [
+                'accessibleFields' => ['uuid' => true]
+            ]);
+            $entityToSave = $entity;
         } else {
-            $reserved = ['id', 'uuid', 'metaFields'];
-            foreach ($individual as $field => $value) {
-                if (in_array($field, $reserved)) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                $existingIndividual->$field = $value;
-            }
-            if (!$this->save($existingIndividual, ['associated' => false])) {
-                return null;
-            }
-            $individual = $existingIndividua;
+            $this->patchEntity($existingIndividual, $individual);
+            $entityToSave = $existingIndividual;
         }
-        $this->postCaptureActions($individual);
-        return $individual->id;
+        $savedEntity = $this->save($entityToSave, ['associated' => false]);
+        if (!$savedEntity) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        $this->postCaptureActions($savedEntity);
+        return $savedEntity->id;
     }
 
     public function postCaptureActions($individual): void