diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/gcat/oldutils/Validator.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/gcat/oldutils/Validator.java
index 020750d..4d16ed2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/gcat/oldutils/Validator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/gcat/oldutils/Validator.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.MetadataField;
 import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.MetadataFormat;
 import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.MetadataGrouping;
 import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.MetadataTagging;
+import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.MetadataVocabulary;
 import org.gcube.datacatalogue.metadatadiscovery.bean.jaxb.NamespaceCategory;
 import org.gcube.gcat.persistence.ckan.CKANGroup;
 import org.gcube.gcat.persistence.ckan.CKANPackage;
@@ -465,7 +466,14 @@ public class Validator {
 		DataType dataType = metadataField.getDataType();
 		String regex = metadataField.getValidator() != null ? metadataField.getValidator().getRegularExpression()
 				: null;
-		boolean hasControlledVocabulary = metadataField.getVocabulary() != null;
+		boolean hasControlledVocabulary = false;
+		MetadataVocabulary metadataVocabulary = metadataField.getVocabulary();
+		if(metadataVocabulary!=null) {
+			List<String> vocabularyFields = metadataVocabulary.getVocabularyFields();
+			if(vocabularyFields!=null && vocabularyFields.size()>0) {
+				hasControlledVocabulary = true;
+			}
+		}
 		String value = fieldToValidate.getValue();
 		String key = fieldToValidate.getKey();
 		String defaultValue = metadataField.getDefaultValue();