diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/ExternalData.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/ExternalData.java
index f09985c4a3e07f0e99a887460baa0a091537fb49..94ad14d4b50c23c0e8f972d8fef8308dd07af83f 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/ExternalData.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/ExternalData.java
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ public abstract class ExternalData extends CodeWithRegistrationAndModificationDa
         return null; // overriden in subclasses
     }
 
+    public LinkDataSet tryGetAsLinkDataSet()
+    {
+        return null; // overriden in a subclasses
+    }
+
     public String getPermlink()
     {
         return permlink;
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/LinkDataSet.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/LinkDataSet.java
index 37d97f851d6d6ad43060333afa5fbbe35f954b61..7f84ef64f06261cf75cd099d1ba1bcfd8ce447dd 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/LinkDataSet.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/basic/dto/LinkDataSet.java
@@ -50,4 +50,10 @@ public class LinkDataSet extends ExternalData
     {
         this.externalCode = externalCode;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public LinkDataSet tryGetAsLinkDataSet()
+    {
+        return this;
+    }
 }