diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImport.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImport.java
index 869c7d13fc..6139649a5d 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImport.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImport.java
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ public class MetadataImport extends DSpaceRunnable<MetadataImportScriptConfigura
      *
      * @see #populateRefAndRowMap(DSpaceCSVLine, UUID)
      */
-    protected static HashMap<UUID, String> entityTypeMap = new HashMap<>();
+    protected HashMap<UUID, String> entityTypeMap = new HashMap<>();
 
     /**
      * Map of UUIDs to their relations that are referenced within any import with their referers.
      *
      * @see #populateEntityRelationMap(String, String, String)
      */
-    protected static HashMap<String, HashMap<String, ArrayList<String>>> entityRelationMap = new HashMap<>();
+    protected HashMap<String, HashMap<String, ArrayList<String>>> entityRelationMap = new HashMap<>();
 
 
     /**
@@ -1403,16 +1403,16 @@ public class MetadataImport extends DSpaceRunnable<MetadataImportScriptConfigura
                         //Populate the EntityRelationMap
                         populateEntityRelationMap(uuid, key, originId.toString());
                     }
+                } else {
+                    newLine.add(key, null);
                 }
             } else {
-                if (line.get(key).size() > 1) {
+                if (line.get(key).size() > 0) {
                     for (String value : line.get(key)) {
                         newLine.add(key, value);
                     }
                 } else {
-                    if (line.get(key).size() > 0) {
-                        newLine.add(key, line.get(key).get(0));
-                    }
+                    newLine.add(key, null);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1517,6 +1517,9 @@ public class MetadataImport extends DSpaceRunnable<MetadataImportScriptConfigura
                 throw new MetadataImportException("Error in CSV row " + rowCount + ":\n" +
                                                       "Not a UUID or indirect entity reference: '" + reference + "'");
             }
+        }
+        if (reference.contains("::virtual::")) {
+            return UUID.fromString(StringUtils.substringBefore(reference, "::virtual::"));
         } else if (!reference.startsWith("rowName:")) { // Not a rowName ref; so it's a metadata value reference
             MetadataValueService metadataValueService = ContentServiceFactory.getInstance().getMetadataValueService();
             MetadataFieldService metadataFieldService =
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImportIT.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImportIT.java
index 3a720bd7e7..1fe58ba3aa 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImportIT.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/bulkedit/MetadataImportIT.java
@@ -168,6 +168,26 @@ public class MetadataImportIT extends AbstractIntegrationTestWithDatabase {
         context.restoreAuthSystemState();
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void metadataImportRemovingValueTest() throws Exception {
+
+        context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
+        Item item = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, collection).withAuthor("TestAuthorToRemove").withTitle("title")
+                               .build();
+        context.restoreAuthSystemState();
+
+        assertTrue(
+            StringUtils.equals(
+                itemService.getMetadata(item, "dc", "contributor", "author", Item.ANY).get(0).getValue(),
+                "TestAuthorToRemove"));
+
+        String[] csv = {"id,collection,dc.title,dc.contributor.author[*]",
+            item.getID().toString() + "," + collection.getHandle() + "," + item.getName() + ","};
+        performImportScript(csv);
+        item = findItemByName("title");
+        assertEquals(itemService.getMetadata(item, "dc", "contributor", "author", Item.ANY).size(), 0);
+    }
+
     private Item findItemByName(String name) throws SQLException {
         Item importedItem = null;
         List<Item> allItems = IteratorUtils.toList(itemService.findAll(context));
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/csv/CSVMetadataImportReferenceIT.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/csv/CSVMetadataImportReferenceIT.java
index 2dfe3a781f..e4bc630cc1 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/csv/CSVMetadataImportReferenceIT.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/csv/CSVMetadataImportReferenceIT.java
@@ -539,6 +539,26 @@ public class CSVMetadataImportReferenceIT extends AbstractIntegrationTestWithDat
         assertRelationship(items[2], items[0], 1, "left", 0);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testRelationToVirtualDataInReferences() throws Exception {
+
+        Item testItem = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, col1)
+                                   .withTitle("Person")
+                                   .withIssueDate("2017-10-17")
+                                   .withAuthor("Smith, Donald")
+                                   .withPersonIdentifierLastName("Smith")
+                                   .withPersonIdentifierFirstName("Donald")
+                                   .withRelationshipType("Person")
+                                   .withIdentifierOther("testItemOne")
+                                   .build();
+
+
+        String[] csv = {"id,relationship.type,relation.isAuthorOfPublication,collection,dc.identifier.other,rowName",
+            "+,Publication," + testItem.getID() + "::virtual::4::600," + col1.getHandle() + ",0,1"};
+        Item[] items = runImport(csv);
+        assertRelationship(items[0], testItem, 1, "left", 0);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test relationship validation with invalid relationship definition by incorrect typeName usage
      */