diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/authority/indexer/DSpaceAuthorityIndexer.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/authority/indexer/DSpaceAuthorityIndexer.java
index 20baef8f9c..b42bd130b7 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/authority/indexer/DSpaceAuthorityIndexer.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/authority/indexer/DSpaceAuthorityIndexer.java
@@ -80,7 +80,15 @@ public class DSpaceAuthorityIndexer implements AuthorityIndexerInterface, Initia
             throws SQLException, AuthorizeException {
         List<AuthorityValue> values = new ArrayList<>();
         for (String metadataField : metadataFields) {
-            List<MetadataValue> metadataValues = itemService.getMetadataByMetadataString(item, metadataField);
+
+            String[] fieldParts = metadataField.split("\\.");
+            String schema = (fieldParts.length > 0 ? fieldParts[0] : null);
+            String element = (fieldParts.length > 1 ? fieldParts[1] : null);
+            String qualifier = (fieldParts.length > 2 ? fieldParts[2] : null);
+
+            // Get metadata values without virtual metadata
+            List<MetadataValue> metadataValues = itemService.getMetadata(item, schema, element, qualifier, Item.ANY,
+                false);
             for (MetadataValue metadataValue : metadataValues) {
                 String content = metadataValue.getValue();
                 String authorityKey = metadataValue.getAuthority();