diff --git a/dmp-backend/src/main/java/rest/entities/DMPs.java b/dmp-backend/src/main/java/rest/entities/DMPs.java
index 31a5bddde..0d594172d 100644
--- a/dmp-backend/src/main/java/rest/entities/DMPs.java
+++ b/dmp-backend/src/main/java/rest/entities/DMPs.java
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ public class DMPs  {
 		
 		DMP clone = dMPDao.read(dmp.getId());
 		
+		
 		try {
 			
 			Set<UserInfo> users = new HashSet<UserInfo>();
@@ -313,8 +314,11 @@ public class DMPs  {
 			clone.setModified(new Date());
 			clone.setStatus(new Short("0"));
 			
+			String cloneLabel = dmp.getLabel();
+			if(cloneLabel==null || cloneLabel.isEmpty()) //if the provided label is null or empty, use parent's label + "_clone"
+				cloneLabel = clone.getLabel()+"_clone";
 			clone.setVersion(clone.getVersion()+1);
-			clone.setLabel(clone.getLabel()+"_clone");
+			clone.setLabel(cloneLabel);
 			clone.setPrevious(clone.getId());