diff --git a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/dmp/Researcher.java b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/dmp/Researcher.java
index eff13c6b7..88bd56401 100644
--- a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/dmp/Researcher.java
+++ b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/dmp/Researcher.java
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class Researcher implements DataModel<eu.eudat.data.entities.Researcher,
         researcher.setId(UUID.fromString(this.id));
         if (this.key != null) {
             if (this.key.toLowerCase().equals("internal")) {
-                if (this.reference != null && "dmp".equals(this.reference.substring(0, 3))) {
+                if (this.reference != null) {
                     researcher.setReference(this.reference);
                 } else {
                     researcher.setReference("dmp:" + this.id);
diff --git a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/researcher/Researcher.java b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/researcher/Researcher.java
index 8ecc23211..f84c204bf 100644
--- a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/researcher/Researcher.java
+++ b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/researcher/Researcher.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class Researcher implements DataModel<eu.eudat.data.entities.Researcher,
         researcher.setCreated(new Date());
         researcher.setLabel(this.firstName + " " + this.lastName);
         researcher.setModified(new Date());
-        researcher.setReference("dmp:" + researcher.getLabel());
+        researcher.setReference("dmp:" + researcher.getReference());
         researcher.setStatus((short) 0);
         return researcher;
     }