diff --git a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.html b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.html
index 29c99732c3..6e88e53ad0 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.html
+++ b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.html
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
     <ds-collection-dropdown [ngClass]="{'d-none': isLoading()}"
                             (selectionChange)="selectObject($event)"
                             (searchComplete)="searchComplete()"
-                            (theOnlySelectable)="theOnlySelectable($event)"
                             [entityType]="entityType">
     </ds-collection-dropdown>
   </div>
diff --git a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.spec.ts b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.spec.ts
index 4f3c54b642..94ce4b91ed 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.spec.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe('SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent test suite', () => {
       compAsAny = null;
     });
 
-    it('should emit from selectedEvent on selectObject', () => {
+    it('should emit from selectedEvent on selectObject and set loading to true', () => {
       spyOn(comp.selectedEvent, 'emit').and.callThrough();
 
       const entry = {
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ describe('SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent test suite', () => {
       comp.selectObject(entry);
 
       expect(comp.selectedEvent.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(entry);
+      expect(comp.loading).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it('should dismiss modal on closeCollectionModal', () => {
diff --git a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.ts b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.ts
index 5fb4e5d406..22430196d4 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/import-external/import-external-collection/submission-import-external-collection.component.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export class SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent {
    * This method emits the selected Collection from the 'selectedEvent' variable.
    */
   public selectObject(object: CollectionListEntry): void {
+    this.loading = true;
     this.selectedEvent.emit(object);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/submission/import-external/submission-import-external.component.ts b/src/app/submission/import-external/submission-import-external.component.ts
index f0a9dca508..8c2c5eca9e 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/import-external/submission-import-external.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/import-external/submission-import-external.component.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ import { Context } from '../../core/shared/context.model';
 import { PaginationComponentOptions } from '../../shared/pagination/pagination-component-options.model';
 import { RouteService } from '../../core/services/route.service';
 import { createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject } from '../../shared/remote-data.utils';
-import { SubmissionImportExternalPreviewComponent } from './import-external-preview/submission-import-external-preview.component';
+import {
+  SubmissionImportExternalPreviewComponent
+} from './import-external-preview/submission-import-external-preview.component';
 import { fadeIn } from '../../shared/animations/fade';
 import { PageInfo } from '../../core/shared/page-info.model';
 import { hasValue, isNotEmpty } from '../../shared/empty.util';
@@ -186,12 +188,17 @@ export class SubmissionImportExternalComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     this.retrieveExternalSourcesSub = this.reload$.pipe(
       filter((sourceQueryObject: ExternalSourceData) => isNotEmpty(sourceQueryObject.sourceId) && isNotEmpty(sourceQueryObject.query)),
       switchMap((sourceQueryObject: ExternalSourceData) => {
+          const currentEntry = this.entriesRD$.getValue();
+          let useCache = true;
+          if (hasValue(currentEntry) && currentEntry.isError) {
+            useCache = false;
+          }
           const query = sourceQueryObject.query;
           this.routeData = sourceQueryObject;
           return this.searchConfigService.paginatedSearchOptions.pipe(
             tap(() => this.isLoading$.next(true)),
             filter((searchOptions) => searchOptions.query === query),
-            mergeMap((searchOptions) => this.externalService.getExternalSourceEntries(this.routeData.sourceId, searchOptions).pipe(
+            mergeMap((searchOptions) => this.externalService.getExternalSourceEntries(this.routeData.sourceId, searchOptions, useCache).pipe(
               getFinishedRemoteData(),
             ))
           );