diff --git a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractArchiverProcessingPlugin.java b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractArchiverProcessingPlugin.java
index 233ae4990b05f00f8bfb9246e2a2106f3b71cb2c..374f54c3797b096181e6c6f4f523d9d39b055465 100644
--- a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractArchiverProcessingPlugin.java
+++ b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractArchiverProcessingPlugin.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.filesystem.SimpleFreeSpaceProvider;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.Log4jSimpleLogger;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.ClassUtils;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.PropertyParametersUtil;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.PropertyUtils;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.generic.shared.ArchiverTaskContext;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.generic.shared.IArchiverPlugin;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.generic.shared.IDataSetDeleter;
@@ -98,11 +99,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractArchiverProcessingPlugin extends AbstractDatastore
         super(properties, storeRoot);
         this.archivePrerequisiteOrNull = archivePrerequisiteOrNull;
         this.unarchivePrerequisiteOrNull = unarchivePrerequisiteOrNull;
-
-        properties.getProperty(SYNCHRONIZE_ARCHIVE, Boolean.TRUE.toString());
-        this.synchronizeArchive =
-                Boolean.parseBoolean(properties.getProperty(SYNCHRONIZE_ARCHIVE,
-                        Boolean.TRUE.toString()));
+        this.synchronizeArchive = PropertyUtils.getBoolean(properties, SYNCHRONIZE_ARCHIVE, true);
     }
 
     /**