diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogue.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogue.java
index b5213bf..98d9c1a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogue.java
@@ -381,6 +381,15 @@ public interface DataCatalogue {
 	 * @return
 	 */
 	CkanDataset getDataset(String datasetId, String apiKey);
+	
+	/**
+	 * Retrieve a ckan dataset given its id. The CkanClient is used, without api key. The result
+	 * is null also when the dataset is private.
+	 * @param datasetId
+	 * @return
+	 * @throws Exception 
+	 */
+	CkanDataset getDataset(String datasetId) throws Exception;
 
 	/**
 	 * Set searchable field
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogueImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogueImpl.java
index 99eace7..7ed020f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogueImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/datacatalogue/ckanutillibrary/server/DataCatalogueImpl.java
@@ -1685,6 +1685,19 @@ public class DataCatalogueImpl implements DataCatalogue{
 		return null;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public CkanDataset getDataset(String datasetId) throws Exception{
+		logger.info("Request ckan dataset with id " + datasetId);
+
+		// checks
+		checkNotNull(datasetId);
+		checkArgument(!datasetId.isEmpty());
+
+		CkanClient client = new CkanClient(CKAN_CATALOGUE_URL);
+		return client.getDataset(datasetId);
+		
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public boolean setSearchableField(String datasetId, boolean searchable) {
 
@@ -2569,4 +2582,5 @@ public class DataCatalogueImpl implements DataCatalogue{
 		}
 		return toReturn;
 	}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file