diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/managed_property/structured/XmlStructuredPropertyConverter.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/managed_property/structured/XmlStructuredPropertyConverter.java
index f4cdda2bc490670be5c8d2208b312e45cb26912c..86154d1f231a8a80851dfeb05a9dbe92f90981ee 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/managed_property/structured/XmlStructuredPropertyConverter.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/managed_property/structured/XmlStructuredPropertyConverter.java
@@ -62,7 +62,10 @@ public class XmlStructuredPropertyConverter implements IStructuredPropertyConver
 
     public boolean canHandle(IManagedProperty property)
     {
-        return property.getValue().startsWith("<" + ROOT_NAME);
+        String propertyValue = property.getValue();
+        return propertyValue.startsWith("<" + ROOT_NAME)
+                || ManagedProperty.isSpecialValue(propertyValue)
+                || StringUtils.isBlank(propertyValue);
     }
 
     @Override