diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
index 1505359cfd..3eb9a128d7 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
@@ -78,14 +78,13 @@ export class Collection extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource {
    * A string representing the unique handle of this Collection
    */
   get handle(): string {
-    const metadataValue = this.firstMetadataValue('dc.identifier.uri');
-    return metadataValue ? metadataValue : this._handle;
+    return this.firstMetadataValue('dc.identifier.uri');
   }
 
   set handle(value: string) {
     this._handle = value;
   }
-  
+
   /**
    * The introductory text of this Collection
    * Corresponds to the metadata field dc.description
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
index 06f7b70c01..4943ff37d9 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ export class Community extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource {
    * A string representing the unique handle of this Community
    */
   get handle(): string {
-    const metadataValue = this.firstMetadataValue('dc.identifier.uri');
-    return metadataValue ? metadataValue : this._handle;
+    return this.firstMetadataValue('dc.identifier.uri');
   }
 
   set handle(value: string) {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.spec.ts
index e059cb7044..9c4c31a8e8 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.spec.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ describe('ComcolPageHandleComponent', () => {
   });
 
   describe('should create a link pointing the handle', () => {
-  
+
     it('should use the content if it includes the http protocol', () => {
       component.content = handleWithProtocol;
       fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -48,15 +48,6 @@ describe('ComcolPageHandleComponent', () => {
       expect(link.nativeElement.getAttribute('href')).toBe(handleWithProtocol);
       expect(link.nativeElement.innerHTML).toBe(handleWithProtocol);
     });
-
-    it('should combine the base uri to the content if it doesnt include the http protocol', () => {
-      component.content = handleWithoutProtocol;
-      fixture.detectChanges();
-      const link = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('a'));
-      expect(link.nativeElement.getAttribute('href')).toBe(handleWithoutProtocolUIURLCombined);
-      expect(link.nativeElement.innerHTML).toBe(handleWithoutProtocolUIURLCombined);
-    });
-    
   });
- 
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+
+});
diff --git a/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.ts b/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.ts
index bea3f51e28..53487c872c 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/comcol-page-handle/comcol-page-handle.component.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ export class ComcolPageHandleComponent {
   @Input() content: string;
 
   public getHandle(): string {
-    return this.content.includes('http') ? this.content
-      : new UIURLCombiner('/handle/', this.content).toString();
-  }}
-
+    return this.content;
+  }
+}