diff --git a/geoportal-service/src/main/java/org/gcube/application/geoportal/service/engine/mongo/ProfiledMongoManager.java b/geoportal-service/src/main/java/org/gcube/application/geoportal/service/engine/mongo/ProfiledMongoManager.java
index ffb268b..f72b5c7 100644
--- a/geoportal-service/src/main/java/org/gcube/application/geoportal/service/engine/mongo/ProfiledMongoManager.java
+++ b/geoportal-service/src/main/java/org/gcube/application/geoportal/service/engine/mongo/ProfiledMongoManager.java
@@ -323,7 +323,9 @@ public class ProfiledMongoManager extends MongoManager implements MongoManagerI<
             rel.setTargetID(targetId);
             rel.setTargetUCD(targetUCD);
 
-            return onUpdate(toUpdate.addRelation(rel));
+
+            toUpdate =onUpdate(toUpdate.addRelation(rel));
+            return unlockAndUpdate(toUpdate);
         }catch(Throwable t){
             log.error("Unexpected exception ",t);
             unlock(toUpdate);
@@ -346,7 +348,7 @@ public class ProfiledMongoManager extends MongoManager implements MongoManagerI<
                 // update only if something changed
                 if(toUpdate.getRelationships().size()!=beforeSize) return onUpdate(toUpdate);
             }
-            return toUpdate;
+            return unlockAndUpdate(toUpdate);
         }catch(Throwable t){
             log.error("Unexpected exception ",t);
             unlock(toUpdate);