diff --git a/sf.py b/sf.py
index 379dde7abc..5f557f754a 100755
--- a/sf.py
+++ b/sf.py
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ def start_scan(sfConfig, sfModules, args):
 
     # Start running a new scan
     scanName = target
-    scanId = sf.genScanInstanceId()
+    scanId = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
     try:
         p = mp.Process(target=SpiderFootScanner, args=(scanName, scanId, target, targetType, modlist, cfg))
         p.daemon = True
diff --git a/sfscan.py b/sfscan.py
index 80212e47e5..5b1bd0dfe6 100644
--- a/sfscan.py
+++ b/sfscan.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import dns.resolver
 
 from sflib import SpiderFoot
-from spiderfoot import SpiderFootDb, SpiderFootEvent, SpiderFootPlugin, SpiderFootTarget
+from spiderfoot import SpiderFootDb, SpiderFootEvent, SpiderFootPlugin, SpiderFootTarget, SpiderFootHelpers
 
 
 class SpiderFootScanner():
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def __init__(self, scanName, scanId, targetValue, targetType, moduleList, global
         if scanId:
             self.__scanId = scanId
         else:
-            self.__scanId = self.__sf.genScanInstanceId()
+            self.__scanId = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
 
         self.__sf.scanId = self.__scanId
         self.__dbh.scanInstanceCreate(self.__scanId, self.__scanName, self.__targetValue)
diff --git a/sfwebui.py b/sfwebui.py
index d61cc7f67c..375cf6ca2d 100644
--- a/sfwebui.py
+++ b/sfwebui.py
@@ -529,7 +529,6 @@ def rerunscan(self, id):
         # Snapshot the current configuration to be used by the scan
         cfg = deepcopy(self.config)
         modlist = list()
-        sf = SpiderFoot(cfg)
         dbh = SpiderFootDb(cfg)
         info = dbh.scanInstanceGet(id)
 
@@ -558,7 +557,7 @@ def rerunscan(self, id):
             scantarget = scantarget.lower()
 
         # Start running a new scan
-        scanId = sf.genScanInstanceId()
+        scanId = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
         try:
             p = mp.Process(target=SpiderFootScanner, args=(scanname, scanId, scantarget, targetType, modlist, cfg))
             p.daemon = True
@@ -588,7 +587,6 @@ def rerunscanmulti(self, ids):
         # Snapshot the current configuration to be used by the scan
         cfg = deepcopy(self.config)
         modlist = list()
-        sf = SpiderFoot(cfg)
         dbh = SpiderFootDb(cfg)
 
         for id in ids.split(","):
@@ -614,7 +612,7 @@ def rerunscanmulti(self, ids):
                 return self.error("Invalid target type. Could not recognize it as a target SpiderFoot supports.")
 
             # Start running a new scan
-            scanId = sf.genScanInstanceId()
+            scanId = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
             try:
                 p = mp.Process(target=SpiderFootScanner, args=(scanname, scanId, scantarget, targetType, modlist, cfg))
                 p.daemon = True
@@ -1189,7 +1187,7 @@ def startscan(self, scanname, scantarget, modulelist, typelist, usecase):
             scantarget = scantarget.lower()
 
         # Start running a new scan
-        scanId = sf.genScanInstanceId()
+        scanId = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
         try:
             p = mp.Process(target=SpiderFootScanner, args=(scanname, scanId, scantarget, targetType, modlist, cfg))
             p.daemon = True
diff --git a/spiderfoot/helpers.py b/spiderfoot/helpers.py
index e0c48cf497..265fa98cc7 100644
--- a/spiderfoot/helpers.py
+++ b/spiderfoot/helpers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import json
 import random
 import re
+import uuid
 from networkx import nx
 from networkx.readwrite.gexf import GEXFWriter
 
@@ -308,6 +309,17 @@ def validLEI(lei):
 
         return True
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def genScanInstanceId():
+        """Generate an globally unique ID for this scan.
+
+        Returns:
+            str: scan instance unique ID
+        """
+
+        return str(uuid.uuid4()).split("-")[0].upper()
+
+    @staticmethod
     def parseRobotsTxt(robotsTxtData):
         """Parse the contents of robots.txt.
 
diff --git a/test/unit/test_spiderfoot.py b/test/unit/test_spiderfoot.py
index f2d13d49d4..8dc197a69d 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_spiderfoot.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_spiderfoot.py
@@ -97,15 +97,6 @@ def test_optValueToData_argument_val_invalid_type_should_return_None(self):
                 opt_data = sf.optValueToData(invalid_type)
                 self.assertEqual(opt_data, None)
 
-    def test_genScanInstanceId_should_return_a_string(self):
-        """
-        Test genScanInstanceId(self)
-        """
-        sf = SpiderFoot(dict())
-
-        scan_instance_id = sf.genScanInstanceId()
-        self.assertIsInstance(scan_instance_id, str)
-
     def test_dblog_invalid_dbh_should_raise(self):
         """
         Test _dblog(self, level, message, component=None)
diff --git a/test/unit/test_spiderfoothelpers.py b/test/unit/test_spiderfoothelpers.py
index 2061284b3e..ba9c914010 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_spiderfoothelpers.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_spiderfoothelpers.py
@@ -122,6 +122,13 @@ def test_dataParentChildToTree_should_return_dict(self):
         tree = SpiderFootHelpers.dataParentChildToTree({"test": {"123": "456"}})
         self.assertIsInstance(tree, dict)
 
+    def test_genScanInstanceId_should_return_a_string(self):
+        """
+        Test genScanInstanceId()
+        """
+        scan_instance_id = SpiderFootHelpers.genScanInstanceId()
+        self.assertIsInstance(scan_instance_id, str)
+
     def test_validLEI_should_return_a_boolean(self):
         """
         Test validLEI(lei)