diff --git a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/description/DescriptionServiceImpl.java b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/description/DescriptionServiceImpl.java
index f21eb65a7..8bd44b609 100644
--- a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/description/DescriptionServiceImpl.java
+++ b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/description/DescriptionServiceImpl.java
@@ -696,8 +696,8 @@ public class DescriptionServiceImpl implements DescriptionService {
         if (!this.conventionService.isListNullOrEmpty(fieldPersist.getReferences())) {
             List<UUID> usedReferences = new ArrayList<>();
             for (ReferencePersist referencePersist : fieldPersist.getReferences()) {
-                if (usedReferences.contains(referencePersist.getId())) continue;
-                usedReferences.add(referencePersist.getId());
+                if (referencePersist.getId() != null && usedReferences.contains(referencePersist.getId())) continue;
+                if (referencePersist.getId() != null) usedReferences.add(referencePersist.getId());
                 DescriptionReferencePersist descriptionReferencePersist = new DescriptionReferencePersist();
                 descriptionReferencePersist.setData(new DescriptionReferenceDataPersist());
                 descriptionReferencePersist.getData().setFieldId(fieldId);