diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/PropertiesBatchManager.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/PropertiesBatchManager.java
index e9aa13b8d34a8e081fab5d0c406fe7aaf2f371ad..7dd32bbb104b35316e26c26bc009acdc2bf275dd 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/PropertiesBatchManager.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/PropertiesBatchManager.java
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public class PropertiesBatchManager implements IPropertiesBatchManager
             {
                 EntityProperty entityProperty =
                         evaluateManagedProperty(code, entry.getValue(), evalContext);
-                if (entityProperty.getValue() != null)
+                if (false == ManagedProperty.isSpecialValue(entityProperty.getValue()))
                 {
                     newProperties.add(entityProperty);
                 }
@@ -178,10 +178,7 @@ public class PropertiesBatchManager implements IPropertiesBatchManager
             ManagedProperty managedProperty = new ManagedProperty();
             managedProperty.setPropertyTypeCode(code);
             evaluator.updateFromBatchInput(managedProperty, bindings);
-            if (false == managedProperty.isSpecialValue())
-            {
-                entityProperty.setValue(managedProperty.getValue());
-            }
+            entityProperty.setValue(managedProperty.getValue());
         }
         return entityProperty;
     }