diff --git a/django/forms/widgets.py b/django/forms/widgets.py
index ba6f9c5b9a..41263b0905 100644
--- a/django/forms/widgets.py
+++ b/django/forms/widgets.py
@@ -690,7 +690,8 @@ class CheckboxSelectMultiple(SelectMultiple):
         if value is None: value = []
         final_attrs = self.build_attrs(attrs, name=name)
         id_ = final_attrs.get('id', None)
-        output = ['<ul>']
+        start_tag = format_html('<ul id="{0}">', id_) if id_ else '<ul>'
+        output = [start_tag]
         # Normalize to strings
         str_values = set([force_text(v) for v in value])
         for i, (option_value, option_label) in enumerate(chain(self.choices, choices)):
diff --git a/docs/ref/forms/widgets.txt b/docs/ref/forms/widgets.txt
index 7218e41082..45d9e8a4dc 100644
--- a/docs/ref/forms/widgets.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/forms/widgets.txt
@@ -648,6 +648,11 @@ Selector and checkbox widgets
           ...
         </ul>
 
+.. versionchanged:: 1.6
+
+The outer ``<ul>`` container will now receive the ``id`` attribute defined on
+the widget.
+
 .. _file-upload-widgets:
 
 File upload widgets
diff --git a/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_forms.py b/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_forms.py
index cf63acb57c..49a93b2ad0 100644
--- a/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_forms.py
+++ b/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_forms.py
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ class FormsTestCase(TestCase):
             composers = MultipleChoiceField(choices=[('J', 'John Lennon'), ('P', 'Paul McCartney')], widget=CheckboxSelectMultiple)
 
         f = SongForm(auto_id='%s_id')
-        self.assertHTMLEqual(str(f['composers']), """<ul>
+        self.assertHTMLEqual(str(f['composers']), """<ul id="composers_id">
 <li><label for="composers_id_0"><input type="checkbox" name="composers" value="J" id="composers_id_0" /> John Lennon</label></li>
 <li><label for="composers_id_1"><input type="checkbox" name="composers" value="P" id="composers_id_1" /> Paul McCartney</label></li>
 </ul>""")
diff --git a/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_widgets.py b/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_widgets.py
index 00e45b6b02..2ecdb1d065 100644
--- a/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_widgets.py
+++ b/tests/forms_tests/tests/test_widgets.py
@@ -804,14 +804,14 @@ beatle J R Ringo False""")
         self.assertHTMLEqual(w.render('nums', ['ŠĐĆŽćžšđ'], choices=[('ŠĐĆŽćžšđ', 'ŠĐabcĆŽćžšđ'), ('ćžšđ', 'abcćžšđ')]), '<ul>\n<li><label><input type="checkbox" name="nums" value="1" /> 1</label></li>\n<li><label><input type="checkbox" name="nums" value="2" /> 2</label></li>\n<li><label><input type="checkbox" name="nums" value="3" /> 3</label></li>\n<li><label><input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="nums" value="\u0160\u0110\u0106\u017d\u0107\u017e\u0161\u0111" /> \u0160\u0110abc\u0106\u017d\u0107\u017e\u0161\u0111</label></li>\n<li><label><input type="checkbox" name="nums" value="\u0107\u017e\u0161\u0111" /> abc\u0107\u017e\u0161\u0111</label></li>\n</ul>')
 
         # Each input gets a separate ID
-        self.assertHTMLEqual(CheckboxSelectMultiple().render('letters', list('ac'), choices=zip(list('abc'), list('ABC')), attrs={'id': 'abc'}), """<ul>
+        self.assertHTMLEqual(CheckboxSelectMultiple().render('letters', list('ac'), choices=zip(list('abc'), list('ABC')), attrs={'id': 'abc'}), """<ul id="abc">
 <li><label for="abc_0"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="letters" value="a" id="abc_0" /> A</label></li>
 <li><label for="abc_1"><input type="checkbox" name="letters" value="b" id="abc_1" /> B</label></li>
 <li><label for="abc_2"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="letters" value="c" id="abc_2" /> C</label></li>
 </ul>""")
 
         # Each input gets a separate ID when the ID is passed to the constructor
-        self.assertHTMLEqual(CheckboxSelectMultiple(attrs={'id': 'abc'}).render('letters', list('ac'), choices=zip(list('abc'), list('ABC'))), """<ul>
+        self.assertHTMLEqual(CheckboxSelectMultiple(attrs={'id': 'abc'}).render('letters', list('ac'), choices=zip(list('abc'), list('ABC'))), """<ul id="abc">
 <li><label for="abc_0"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="letters" value="a" id="abc_0" /> A</label></li>
 <li><label for="abc_1"><input type="checkbox" name="letters" value="b" id="abc_1" /> B</label></li>
 <li><label for="abc_2"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="letters" value="c" id="abc_2" /> C</label></li>