diff --git a/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/brapps/importer/services/processors/ExperimentProcessor.java b/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/brapps/importer/services/processors/ExperimentProcessor.java
index f9c79bdd9..d6aeb478f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/brapps/importer/services/processors/ExperimentProcessor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/brapps/importer/services/processors/ExperimentProcessor.java
@@ -841,6 +841,12 @@ private void addObsVarsToDatasetDetails(PendingImportObject<BrAPIListDetails> pi
         BrAPIListDetails details = pio.getBrAPIObject();
         referencedTraits.forEach(trait -> {
             String id = Utilities.appendProgramKey(trait.getObservationVariableName(), program.getKey());
+
+            // Don't append the key if connected to a brapi service operating with legacy data(no appended program key)
+            if (trait.getFullName() == null) {
+                id = trait.getObservationVariableName();
+            }
+
             if (!details.getData().contains(id) && ImportObjectState.EXISTING != pio.getState()) {
                 details.getData().add(id);
             }