diff --git a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/logic/proxy/fetching/RemoteFetcher.java b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/logic/proxy/fetching/RemoteFetcher.java
index cd29be9e8..05f966bac 100644
--- a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/logic/proxy/fetching/RemoteFetcher.java
+++ b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/logic/proxy/fetching/RemoteFetcher.java
@@ -169,9 +169,13 @@ public class RemoteFetcher {
             completedPath = completedPath.replace("{like}", "");
         }
         if (externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId() != null) {
-            String funderId = externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId();
+            String funderPrefix = externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId().split(":")[0];
+            String funderId = externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId().replace(funderPrefix + ":", "");
+            if (funderId.toCharArray()[0] == ':') {
+                funderId = externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId();
+            }
             try {
-                funderId = URLEncoder.encode(externalUrlCriteria.getFunderId(), "UTF-8");
+                funderId = URLEncoder.encode(funderId, "UTF-8");
             } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
                 logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
             }