diff --git a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/tags/Tag.java b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/tags/Tag.java
index 8bb230759..e60c042ab 100644
--- a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/tags/Tag.java
+++ b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/tags/Tag.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -108,7 +109,19 @@ public abstract class Tag implements NeedsCharacters, Exportable, Serializable {
     }
 
     public void setSwf(SWF swf) {
+        setSwf(swf, false);
+    }
+
+    public void setSwf(SWF swf, boolean deep) {
         this.swf = swf;
+        if (deep) {
+            if (this instanceof DefineSpriteTag) {
+                DefineSpriteTag sprite = (DefineSpriteTag) this;
+                for (Tag subTag : sprite.subTags) {
+                    subTag.setSwf(swf);
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     public Timelined getTimelined() {
@@ -585,7 +598,7 @@ public abstract class Tag implements NeedsCharacters, Exportable, Serializable {
 
     public void getNeededCharactersDeep(Set<Integer> needed) {
         Set<Integer> visited = new HashSet<>();
-        Set<Integer> needed2 = new HashSet<>();
+        Set<Integer> needed2 = new LinkedHashSet<>();
         getNeededCharacters(needed2);
 
         while (visited.size() != needed2.size()) {
diff --git a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/helpers/Helper.java b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/helpers/Helper.java
index f146545ac..0544414d5 100644
--- a/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/helpers/Helper.java
+++ b/libsrc/ffdec_lib/src/com/jpexs/helpers/Helper.java
@@ -384,10 +384,10 @@ public class Helper {
         return sb.toString();
     }
 
-    public static String joinStrings(List<String> arr, String glue) {
+    public static String joinStrings(Iterable<?> arr, String glue) {
         StringBuilder ret = new StringBuilder();
         boolean first = true;
-        for (String s : arr) {
+        for (Object s : arr) {
             if (!first) {
                 ret.append(glue);
             } else {
diff --git a/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/MainPanel.java b/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/MainPanel.java
index ffc2d5b7d..e1b22ebb4 100644
--- a/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/MainPanel.java
+++ b/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/MainPanel.java
@@ -2685,6 +2685,15 @@ public final class MainPanel extends JPanel implements ActionListener, TreeSelec
 
         previewPanel.setImageReplaceButtonVisible(false);
 
+        /*if (treeItem instanceof Tag) {
+            Tag tag = (Tag) treeItem;
+            Set<Integer> needed = new HashSet<>();
+            tag.getNeededCharactersDeep(needed);
+            String neededStr = Helper.joinStrings(needed, ", ");
+            // todo: it would be usefule to show this information on the UI
+            System.out.println("Needed characters: " + neededStr);
+        }*/
+        
         boolean internalViewer = isInternalFlashViewerSelected();
 
         if (treeItem instanceof HeaderItem) {
diff --git a/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/tagtree/TagTreeContextMenu.java b/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/tagtree/TagTreeContextMenu.java
index 160b67aff..41ab0e4fe 100644
--- a/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/tagtree/TagTreeContextMenu.java
+++ b/src/com/jpexs/decompiler/flash/gui/tagtree/TagTreeContextMenu.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -440,7 +441,7 @@ public class TagTreeContextMenu extends JPopupMenu {
         }
     }
 
-    private void chechUniqueCharacterId(Tag tag) {
+    private int chechUniqueCharacterId(Tag tag) {
         if (tag instanceof CharacterTag) {
             CharacterTag characterTag = (CharacterTag) tag;
             int characterId = characterTag.getCharacterId();
@@ -449,8 +450,13 @@ public class TagTreeContextMenu extends JPopupMenu {
                 int newCharacterId = swf.getNextCharacterId();
                 characterTag.setCharacterId(newCharacterId);
                 logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Target SWF already contained chatacter tag with id = {0} => id changed to {1}", new Object[]{characterId, newCharacterId});
+                return newCharacterId;
             }
+            
+            return characterId;
         }
+        
+        return -1;
     }
 
     private void moveTagActionPerformed(ActionEvent evt, List<TreeItem> items, SWF targetSwf) {
@@ -458,7 +464,7 @@ public class TagTreeContextMenu extends JPopupMenu {
         for (TreeItem item : items) {
             Tag tag = (Tag) item;
             sourceSwf.tags.remove(tag);
-            tag.setSwf(targetSwf);
+            tag.setSwf(targetSwf, true);
             targetSwf.tags.add(tag);
             chechUniqueCharacterId(tag);
             targetSwf.updateCharacters();
@@ -483,7 +489,7 @@ public class TagTreeContextMenu extends JPopupMenu {
             for (TreeItem item : items) {
                 Tag tag = (Tag) item;
                 Tag copyTag = tag.cloneTag();
-                copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf);
+                copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf, true);
                 targetSwf.tags.add(copyTag);
                 chechUniqueCharacterId(copyTag);
                 targetSwf.updateCharacters();
@@ -503,32 +509,66 @@ public class TagTreeContextMenu extends JPopupMenu {
     private void copyTagWithDependenciesActionPerformed(ActionEvent evt, List<TreeItem> items, SWF targetSwf) {
         try {
             SWF sourceSwf = items.get(0).getSwf();
-            Set<Tag> copiedTags = new HashSet<>();
-            Set<Integer> needed = new HashSet<>();
             for (TreeItem item : items) {
+                Set<Tag> copiedTags = new HashSet<>();
+                Set<Tag> newTags = new HashSet<>();
+                LinkedHashSet<Integer> needed = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+                Map<Integer, Integer> changedCharacterIds = new HashMap<>();
+
                 Tag tag = (Tag) item;
                 tag.getNeededCharactersDeep(needed);
-                Tag copyTag = tag.cloneTag();
-                copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf);
+                Tag copyTag;
+
+                List<Integer> neededList = new ArrayList<>();
+                for (Integer characterId : needed) {
+                    neededList.add(characterId);
+                }
+                
+                // first add dependencies in reverse order
+                for (int i = neededList.size() - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+                    int characterId = neededList.get(i);
+                    Tag neededTag = (Tag) sourceSwf.getCharacter(characterId);
+                    if (!copiedTags.contains(neededTag)) {
+                        copyTag = neededTag.cloneTag();
+                        copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf, true);
+                        targetSwf.tags.add(copyTag);
+                        if (neededTag instanceof CharacterTag) {
+                            CharacterTag characterTag = (CharacterTag) copyTag;
+                            int oldCharacterId = characterTag.getCharacterId();
+                            int newCharacterId = chechUniqueCharacterId(copyTag);
+                            changedCharacterIds.put(oldCharacterId, newCharacterId);
+                        }
+
+                        targetSwf.updateCharacters();
+                        targetSwf.getCharacters(); // force rebuild character id cache
+                        copyTag.setModified(true);
+                        copiedTags.add(neededTag);
+                        newTags.add(copyTag);
+                    }
+                }
+
+                copyTag = tag.cloneTag();
+                copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf, true);
                 targetSwf.tags.add(copyTag);
-                chechUniqueCharacterId(copyTag);
+                if (tag instanceof CharacterTag) {
+                    CharacterTag characterTag = (CharacterTag) copyTag;
+                    int oldCharacterId = characterTag.getCharacterId();
+                    int newCharacterId = chechUniqueCharacterId(copyTag);
+                    changedCharacterIds.put(oldCharacterId, newCharacterId);
+                }
+                
                 targetSwf.updateCharacters();
                 targetSwf.getCharacters(); // force rebuild character id cache
                 copyTag.setModified(true);
                 copiedTags.add(tag);
-            }
+                newTags.add(copyTag);
 
-            for (Integer characterId : needed) {
-                Tag tag = (Tag) sourceSwf.getCharacter(characterId);
-                if (!copiedTags.contains(tag)) {
-                    Tag copyTag = tag.cloneTag();
-                    copyTag.setSwf(targetSwf);
-                    targetSwf.tags.add(copyTag);
-                    chechUniqueCharacterId(copyTag);
-                    targetSwf.updateCharacters();
-                    targetSwf.getCharacters(); // force rebuild character id cache
-                    copyTag.setModified(true);
-                    copiedTags.add(tag);
+                for (int oldCharacterId : changedCharacterIds.keySet()) {
+                    int newCharacterId = changedCharacterIds.get(oldCharacterId);
+                    for (Tag newTag : newTags) {
+                        // todo: avoid double replaces
+                        newTag.replaceCharacter(oldCharacterId, newCharacterId);
+                    }
                 }
             }