diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidProductWorkFactory.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidProductWorkFactory.java
index 2636592cfae4..0d991256f405 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidProductWorkFactory.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidProductWorkFactory.java
@@ -202,7 +202,10 @@ private List<ExternalID> getWorkSelfExternalIds(Context context, Item item) {
     private ExternalID getSelfExternalId(MetadataValue metadataValue) {
         Map<String, String> externalIdentifierFields = fieldMapping.getExternalIdentifierFields();
         String metadataField = metadataValue.getMetadataField().toString('.');
-        return getExternalId(externalIdentifierFields.get(metadataField), metadataValue.getValue(), SELF);
+        if (isNotPlaceholder(metadataValue)) {
+            return getExternalId(externalIdentifierFields.get(metadataField), metadataValue.getValue(), SELF);
+        }
+        return null;
     }
 
     private List<ExternalID> getWorkFundedByExternalIds(Context context, Item item) {
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidWorkFactory.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidWorkFactory.java
index 1f35d5948455..04f892168a53 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidWorkFactory.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/factory/impl/OrcidWorkFactory.java
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ private List<ExternalID> getWorkSelfExternalIds(Context context, Item item) {
     private ExternalID getSelfExternalId(MetadataValue metadataValue) {
         Map<String, String> externalIdentifierFields = fieldMapping.getExternalIdentifierFields();
         String metadataField = metadataValue.getMetadataField().toString('.');
-        return getExternalId(externalIdentifierFields.get(metadataField), metadataValue.getValue(), SELF);
+        if (isNotPlaceholder(metadataValue)) {
+            return getExternalId(externalIdentifierFields.get(metadataField), metadataValue.getValue(), SELF);
+        }
+        return null;
     }
 
     private List<ExternalID> getWorkFundedByExternalIds(Context context, Item item) {