diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/uoamonitorservice/service/StakeholderService.java b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/uoamonitorservice/service/StakeholderService.java
index 57427f2..208bba6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/uoamonitorservice/service/StakeholderService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/uoamonitorservice/service/StakeholderService.java
@@ -123,14 +123,14 @@ public class StakeholderService {
 
     public Stakeholder save(Stakeholder stakeholder) {
         if (stakeholder.getId() != null) {
+            Stakeholder old = this.findByPath(stakeholder.getId());
+            stakeholder.setTopics(old.getTopics());
             if (!stakeholder.isCopy() && stakeholder.getDefaultId() != null) {
                 stakeholder.getTopics().forEach(topic -> {
                     this.topicService.delete(stakeholder.getType(), topic, false);
                 });
                 stakeholder.setTopics(new ArrayList<>());
             } else {
-                Stakeholder old = this.findByPath(stakeholder.getId());
-                stakeholder.setTopics(old.getTopics());
                 if(old.getTopics().isEmpty() && old.getDefaultId() != null) {
                     Stakeholder defaultStakeholder = this.findByPath(stakeholder.getDefaultId());
                     if(defaultStakeholder != null) {