diff --git a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/model/persist/DescriptionTemplatePersist.java b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/model/persist/DescriptionTemplatePersist.java
index a90c9209b..07f30dbb6 100644
--- a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/model/persist/DescriptionTemplatePersist.java
+++ b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/model/persist/DescriptionTemplatePersist.java
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ public class DescriptionTemplatePersist {
                             .must(() -> this.lessEqualLength(item.getLabel(), DescriptionTemplateEntity._labelLength))
                             .failOn(DescriptionTemplatePersist._label).failWith(this.messageSource.getMessage("Validation_MaxLength", new Object[]{DescriptionTemplatePersist._label}, LocaleContextHolder.getLocale())),
                     this.spec()
-                            .iff(() -> item.getStatus() == DescriptionTemplateStatus.Finalized)
                             .must(() -> !this.isEmpty(item.getCode()))
                             .failOn(DescriptionTemplatePersist._code).failWith(messageSource.getMessage("Validation_Required", new Object[]{DescriptionTemplatePersist._code}, LocaleContextHolder.getLocale())),
                     this.spec()
diff --git a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/descriptiontemplate/DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl.java b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/descriptiontemplate/DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl.java
index b2d2f2a11..8f86e88ad 100644
--- a/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/descriptiontemplate/DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl.java
+++ b/backend/core/src/main/java/org/opencdmp/service/descriptiontemplate/DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl.java
@@ -763,6 +763,13 @@ public class DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl implements DescriptionTemplateServic
                 .groupIds(groupId)
                 .count() : 0;
 
+        if (activeDescriptionTemplatesForTheGroup == 0 && !this.conventionService.isNullOrEmpty(importXml.getCode())) {
+            activeDescriptionTemplatesForTheGroup = this.queryFactory.query(DescriptionTemplateQuery.class).disableTracking()
+                    .isActive(IsActive.Active)
+                    .codes(importXml.getCode())
+                    .count();
+        }
+
         if (activeDescriptionTemplatesForTheGroup == 0) {
             DescriptionTemplatePersist persist = new DescriptionTemplatePersist();
             persist.setLabel(label);
@@ -775,12 +782,23 @@ public class DescriptionTemplateServiceImpl implements DescriptionTemplateServic
             this.validatorFactory.validator(DescriptionTemplatePersist.DescriptionTemplatePersistValidator.class).validateForce(persist);
             return this.persist(persist, groupId, fields);
         } else {
-            DescriptionTemplateEntity latestVersionDescriptionTemplate = this.queryFactory.query(DescriptionTemplateQuery.class).disableTracking()
-                    .versionStatuses(DescriptionTemplateVersionStatus.Current)
-                    .isActive(IsActive.Active)
-                    .statuses(DescriptionTemplateStatus.Finalized)
-                    .groupIds(groupId)
-                    .first();
+            DescriptionTemplateEntity latestVersionDescriptionTemplate = null;
+            if (groupId != null) {
+                latestVersionDescriptionTemplate = this.queryFactory.query(DescriptionTemplateQuery.class).disableTracking()
+                        .versionStatuses(DescriptionTemplateVersionStatus.Current)
+                        .isActive(IsActive.Active)
+                        .statuses(DescriptionTemplateStatus.Finalized)
+                        .groupIds(groupId)
+                        .first();
+            }
+            if (latestVersionDescriptionTemplate == null && !this.conventionService.isNullOrEmpty(importXml.getCode())) {
+                latestVersionDescriptionTemplate = this.queryFactory.query(DescriptionTemplateQuery.class).disableTracking()
+                        .versionStatuses(DescriptionTemplateVersionStatus.Current)
+                        .isActive(IsActive.Active)
+                        .statuses(DescriptionTemplateStatus.Finalized)
+                        .codes(importXml.getCode())
+                        .first();
+            }
             if (latestVersionDescriptionTemplate == null) throw new MyValidationException(this.errors.getDescriptionTemplateIsNotFinalized().getCode(), this.errors.getDescriptionTemplateIsNotFinalized().getMessage());
 
             NewVersionDescriptionTemplatePersist persist = new NewVersionDescriptionTemplatePersist();