diff --git a/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/impl/pcl_visualizer.hpp b/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/impl/pcl_visualizer.hpp
index 1ff4c064707..3e162bc7e7a 100644
--- a/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/impl/pcl_visualizer.hpp
+++ b/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/impl/pcl_visualizer.hpp
@@ -82,12 +82,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloud (
   const PointCloudGeometryHandler<PointT> &geometry_handler,
   const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -103,13 +100,11 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloud (
   const GeometryHandlerConstPtr &geometry_handler,
   const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
     // Here we're just pushing the handlers onto the queue. If needed, something fancier could
     // be done such as checking if a specific handler already exists, etc.
+    CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
     am_it->second.geometry_handlers.push_back (geometry_handler);
     return (true);
   }
@@ -126,12 +121,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloud (
   const PointCloudColorHandler<PointT> &color_handler,
   const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
 
     // Here we're just pushing the handlers onto the queue. If needed, something fancier could
     // be done such as checking if a specific handler already exists, etc.
@@ -194,12 +186,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloud (
   const PointCloudGeometryHandler<PointT> &geometry_handler,
   const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloud] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     // Here we're just pushing the handlers onto the queue. If needed, something fancier could
     // be done such as checking if a specific handler already exists, etc.
     //cloud_actor_map_[id].geometry_handlers.push_back (geometry_handler);
@@ -454,11 +443,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPolygon (
 template <typename P1, typename P2> bool
 pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addLine (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, double r, double g, double b, const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addLine] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addLine] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -481,11 +468,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addLine (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, double
 template <typename P1, typename P2> bool
 pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addArrow (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, double r, double g, double b, const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -510,11 +495,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addArrow (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, doubl
 template <typename P1, typename P2> bool
 pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addArrow (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, double r, double g, double b, bool display_length, const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -545,11 +528,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addArrow (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2,
                                             double r_text, double g_text, double b_text,
                                             const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addArrow] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -583,11 +564,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addLine (const P1 &pt1, const P2 &pt2, const
 template <typename PointT> bool
 pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addSphere (const PointT &center, double radius, double r, double g, double b, const std::string &id, int viewport)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addSphere] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addSphere] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -632,13 +611,14 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addSphere (const PointT &center, double radiu
 template<typename PointT> bool
 pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::updateSphere (const PointT &center, double radius, double r, double g, double b, const std::string &id)
 {
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it == shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
+  {
     return (false);
+  }
 
   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   // Get the actor pointer
+  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (id);
   vtkLODActor* actor = vtkLODActor::SafeDownCast (am_it->second);
 #if VTK_MAJOR_VERSION < 6
   vtkAlgorithm *algo = actor->GetMapper ()->GetInput ()->GetProducerPort ()->GetProducer ();
@@ -674,11 +654,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addText3D (
   else
     tid = id;
 
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  ShapeActorMap::iterator am_it = shape_actor_map_->find (tid);
-  if (am_it != shape_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (tid))
   {
-    pcl::console::print_warn (stderr, "[addText3d] A text with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", tid.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addText3D] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -744,12 +722,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloudNormals (
     PCL_ERROR ("[addPointCloudNormals] The number of points differs from the number of normals!\n");
     return (false);
   }
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloudNormals] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloudNormals] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -872,12 +847,10 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloudPrincipalCurvatures (
     pcl::console::print_error ("[addPointCloudPrincipalCurvatures] The number of points differs from the number of principal curvatures/normals!\n");
     return (false);
   }
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
 
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    pcl::console::print_warn (stderr, "[addPointCloudPrincipalCurvatures] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloudPrincipalCurvatures] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -989,12 +962,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPointCloudIntensityGradients (
     PCL_ERROR ("[addPointCloudGradients] The number of points differs from the number of gradients!\n");
     return (false);
   }
-  // Check to see if this ID entry already exists (has it been already added to the visualizer?)
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloudGradients] A PointCloud with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPointCloudGradients] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
@@ -1571,12 +1541,9 @@ pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::addPolygonMesh (
   if (vertices.empty () || cloud->points.empty ())
     return (false);
 
-  CloudActorMap::iterator am_it = cloud_actor_map_->find (id);
-  if (am_it != cloud_actor_map_->end ())
+  if (contains (id))
   {
-    pcl::console::print_warn (stderr, 
-                                "[addPolygonMesh] A shape with id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n",
-                                id.c_str ());
+    PCL_WARN ("[addPolygonMesh] The id <%s> already exists! Please choose a different id and retry.\n", id.c_str ());
     return (false);
   }
 
diff --git a/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/pcl_visualizer.h b/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/pcl_visualizer.h
index 2899ca1f443..b60dc646c5c 100644
--- a/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/pcl_visualizer.h
+++ b/visualization/include/pcl/visualization/pcl_visualizer.h
@@ -579,6 +579,18 @@ namespace pcl
                    double r = 1.0, double g = 1.0, double b = 1.0,
                    const std::string &id = "", int viewport = 0);
 
+        /** \brief Check if the cloud, shape, or coordinate with the given id was already added to this vizualizer.
+          * \param[in] id the id of the cloud, shape, or coordinate to check
+          * \return true if a cloud, shape, or coordinate with the specified id was found
+          */
+        inline bool
+        contains(const std::string &id) const
+        {
+          return (cloud_actor_map_->find (id) != cloud_actor_map_->end () ||
+                  shape_actor_map_->find (id) != shape_actor_map_->end () ||
+                  coordinate_actor_map_->find (id) != coordinate_actor_map_-> end());
+        }
+
         /** \brief Add the estimated surface normals of a Point Cloud to screen.
           * \param[in] cloud the input point cloud dataset containing XYZ data and normals
           * \param[in] level display only every level'th point (default: 100)