diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/SubmissionService.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/SubmissionService.java
index 6f3cd62203..76de36dde6 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/SubmissionService.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/SubmissionService.java
@@ -306,7 +306,9 @@ public class SubmissionService {
         result.setRights(creativeCommonsService.getLicenseName(item));
 
         Bitstream licenseRdfBitstream = creativeCommonsService.getLicenseRdfBitstream(item);
-        result.setFile(converter.toRest(licenseRdfBitstream, Projection.DEFAULT));
+        if (licenseRdfBitstream != null) {
+            result.setFile(converter.toRest(licenseRdfBitstream, Projection.DEFAULT));
+        }
 
         return result;
     }
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseAddPatchOperationIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseAddPatchOperationIT.java
index fcb814d82d..f07c816b9c 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseAddPatchOperationIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseAddPatchOperationIT.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ package org.dspace.app.rest;
 import static com.jayway.jsonpath.matchers.JsonPathMatchers.hasJsonPath;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.allOf;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.nullValue;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.get;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.patch;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.jsonPath;
@@ -118,7 +118,11 @@ public class CCLicenseAddPatchOperationIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationT
                                               .content(patchBody)
                                               .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_PATCH_JSON))
                              .andExpect(status().isOk())
-                             .andExpect(jsonPath("$.sections", not(hasJsonPath("cclicense"))));
+                             .andExpect(jsonPath("$.sections.cclicense", allOf(
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.uri", nullValue()),
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.rights",nullValue()),
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.file", nullValue())
+                             )));
 
 
     }
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseRemovePatchOperationIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseRemovePatchOperationIT.java
index c003cf2809..8e01678899 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseRemovePatchOperationIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CCLicenseRemovePatchOperationIT.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ package org.dspace.app.rest;
 import static com.jayway.jsonpath.matchers.JsonPathMatchers.hasJsonPath;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.allOf;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.nullValue;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.patch;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.jsonPath;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.status;
@@ -95,7 +95,11 @@ public class CCLicenseRemovePatchOperationIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrati
                                               .content(removePatch)
                                               .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_PATCH_JSON))
                              .andExpect(status().isOk())
-                             .andExpect(jsonPath("$.sections", not(hasJsonPath("cclicense"))));
+                             .andExpect(jsonPath("$.sections.cclicense", allOf(
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.uri", nullValue()),
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.rights",nullValue()),
+                                     hasJsonPath("$.file", nullValue())
+                             )));
     }