diff --git a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.html b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.html
index ce5fe0deb8..ccb9cde10d 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.html
@@ -1,42 +1,40 @@
-<div class="form-group w-100 pr-2 pl-2">
-  <input *ngIf="searchField"
-          type="search"
-          class="form-control w-100"
-          (click)="$event.stopPropagation();"
-          placeholder="{{ 'submission.sections.general.search-collection' | translate }}"
-          [formControl]="searchField"
-          #searchFieldEl>
+<div *ngIf="searchField" class="form-group w-100 pr-2 pl-2">
+  <input type="search"
+         class="form-control w-100"
+         (click)="$event.stopPropagation();"
+         placeholder="{{ 'submission.sections.general.search-collection' | translate }}"
+         [formControl]="searchField"
+         #searchFieldEl>
 </div>
 <div class="dropdown-divider"></div>
-<div
-    class="scrollable-menu"
-    aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuButton"
-    (scroll)="onScroll($event)"
-    infiniteScroll
-    [infiniteScrollDistance]="5"
-    [infiniteScrollThrottle]="300"
-    [infiniteScrollUpDistance]="1.5"
-    [fromRoot]="true"
-    [scrollWindow]="false"
-    (scrolled)="onScrollDown()">
-    <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="searchListCollection?.length == 0 && !(isLoadingList | async)">
-      {{'submission.sections.general.no-collection' | translate}}
-    </button>
-    <button
-          *ngFor="let listItem of searchListCollection"
+<div class="scrollable-menu"
+     aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuButton"
+     (scroll)="onScroll($event)"
+     infiniteScroll
+     [infiniteScrollDistance]="5"
+     [infiniteScrollThrottle]="300"
+     [infiniteScrollUpDistance]="1.5"
+     [fromRoot]="true"
+     [scrollWindow]="false"
+     (scrolled)="onScrollDown()">
+
+  <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="searchListCollection?.length == 0 && !(isLoadingList | async)">
+    {{'submission.sections.general.no-collection' | translate}}
+  </button>
+  <button *ngFor="let listItem of searchListCollection"
           class="dropdown-item collection-item"
           title="{{ listItem.collection.name }}"
           (click)="onSelect(listItem)">
-      <ul class="list-unstyled mb-0">
-        <li class="list-item text-truncate text-secondary" *ngFor="let item of listItem.communities">
-          {{ item.name}} <i class="fa fa-level-down" aria-hidden="true"></i>
-        </li>
-        <li class="list-item text-truncate text-primary font-weight-bold">{{ listItem.collection.name}}</li>
-      </ul>
-    </button>
-    <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="(isLoadingList | async)" >
-      <ds-loading message="{{'loading.default' | translate}}">
-      </ds-loading>
-    </button>
+    <ul class="list-unstyled mb-0">
+      <li class="list-item text-truncate text-secondary" *ngFor="let item of listItem.communities">
+        {{ item.name}} <i class="fa fa-level-down" aria-hidden="true"></i>
+      </li>
+      <li class="list-item text-truncate text-primary font-weight-bold">{{ listItem.collection.name}}</li>
+    </ul>
+  </button>
+  <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="(isLoadingList | async)">
+    <ds-loading message="{{'loading.default' | translate}}">
+    </ds-loading>
+  </button>
 
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.spec.ts
index 612f5a1733..94cb7c857d 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.spec.ts
@@ -226,23 +226,11 @@ describe('CollectionDropdownComponent', () => {
   });
 
   it('should emit hasChoice true when totalElements is greater then one', () => {
-    spyOn(component.hasChoice, 'emit').and.callThrough();
+    spyOn(component.searchComplete, 'emit').and.callThrough();
     component.ngOnInit();
     fixture.detectChanges();
 
-    expect(component.hasChoice.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true);
-  });
-
-  it('should emit hasChoice false when totalElements is not greater then one', () => {
-
-    componentAsAny.collectionDataService.getAuthorizedCollection.and.returnValue(paginatedEmptyCollectionRD$);
-    componentAsAny.collectionDataService.getAuthorizedCollectionByEntityType.and.returnValue(paginatedEmptyCollectionRD$);
-
-    spyOn(component.hasChoice, 'emit').and.callThrough();
-    component.ngOnInit();
-    fixture.detectChanges();
-
-    expect(component.hasChoice.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+    expect(component.searchComplete.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
   });
 
   it('should emit theOnlySelectable when totalElements is equal to one', () => {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.ts b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.ts
index 6c11613512..9826c554bb 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/collection-dropdown/collection-dropdown.component.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import { FormControl } from '@angular/forms';
 
-import { BehaviorSubject, Observable, Subscription } from 'rxjs';
+import { BehaviorSubject, from as observableFrom, Observable, of as observableOf, Subscription } from 'rxjs';
 import { debounceTime, distinctUntilChanged, map, mergeMap, reduce, startWith, switchMap, take } from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 import { hasValue } from '../empty.util';
@@ -22,10 +22,7 @@ import { Community } from '../../core/shared/community.model';
 import { CollectionDataService } from '../../core/data/collection-data.service';
 import { Collection } from '../../core/shared/collection.model';
 import { followLink } from '../utils/follow-link-config.model';
-import {
-  getFirstSucceededRemoteDataPayload,
-  getFirstSucceededRemoteWithNotEmptyData
-} from '../../core/shared/operators';
+import { getFirstCompletedRemoteData, getFirstSucceededRemoteDataPayload } from '../../core/shared/operators';
 
 /**
  * An interface to represent a collection entry
@@ -113,9 +110,9 @@ export class CollectionDropdownComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   @Input() entityType: string;
 
   /**
-   * Emit to notify whether collections to choice from are more than one
+   * Emit to notify whether search is complete
    */
-  @Output() hasChoice = new EventEmitter<boolean>();
+  @Output() searchComplete = new EventEmitter<any>();
 
   /**
    * Emit to notify the only selectable collection.
@@ -213,35 +210,44 @@ export class CollectionDropdownComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         query,
         this.entityType,
         findOptions,
-        false,
+        true,
         followLink('parentCommunity'));
     } else {
       searchListService$ = this.collectionDataService
-      .getAuthorizedCollection(query, findOptions, true, false, followLink('parentCommunity'));
+      .getAuthorizedCollection(query, findOptions, true, true, followLink('parentCommunity'));
     }
     this.searchListCollection$ = searchListService$.pipe(
-        getFirstSucceededRemoteWithNotEmptyData(),
-        switchMap((collections: RemoteData<PaginatedList<Collection>>) => {
-          if ( (this.searchListCollection.length + findOptions.elementsPerPage) >= collections.payload.totalElements ) {
+        getFirstCompletedRemoteData(),
+        switchMap((collectionsRD: RemoteData<PaginatedList<Collection>>) => {
+          this.searchComplete.emit();
+          if (collectionsRD.hasSucceeded && collectionsRD.payload.totalElements > 0) {
+            if ( (this.searchListCollection.length + findOptions.elementsPerPage) >= collectionsRD.payload.totalElements ) {
+              this.hasNextPage = false;
+              this.emitSelectionEvents(collectionsRD);
+              return observableFrom(collectionsRD.payload.page).pipe(
+                mergeMap((collection: Collection) => collection.parentCommunity.pipe(
+                  getFirstSucceededRemoteDataPayload(),
+                  map((community: Community) => ({
+                      communities: [{ id: community.id, name: community.name }],
+                      collection: { id: collection.id, uuid: collection.id, name: collection.name }
+                    })
+                  ))),
+                reduce((acc: any, value: any) => [...acc, value], []),
+              );
+            }
+          } else {
             this.hasNextPage = false;
+            return observableOf([]);
           }
-          this.emitSelectionEvents(collections);
-          return collections.payload.page;
-        }),
-        mergeMap((collection: Collection) => collection.parentCommunity.pipe(
-          getFirstSucceededRemoteDataPayload(),
-          map((community: Community) => ({
-            communities: [{ id: community.id, name: community.name }],
-            collection: { id: collection.id, uuid: collection.id, name: collection.name }
-          })
-        ))),
-        reduce((acc: any, value: any) => [...acc, value], []),
-        startWith([])
+        })
         );
-    this.subs.push(this.searchListCollection$.subscribe(
-      (next) => { this.searchListCollection.push(...next); }, undefined,
-      () => { this.hideShowLoader(false); this.changeDetectorRef.detectChanges(); }
-    ));
+    this.subs.push(
+      this.searchListCollection$.subscribe((list: CollectionListEntry[]) => {
+        this.searchListCollection.push(...list);
+        this.hideShowLoader(false);
+        this.changeDetectorRef.detectChanges();
+      })
+    );
   }
 
   /**
@@ -284,7 +290,6 @@ export class CollectionDropdownComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
    * @private
    */
   private emitSelectionEvents(collections: RemoteData<PaginatedList<Collection>>) {
-    this.hasChoice.emit(collections.payload.totalElements > 1);
     if (collections.payload.totalElements === 1) {
       const collection = collections.payload.page[0];
       collections.payload.page[0].parentCommunity.pipe(
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 e1f03c40d5..6fb6ab3382 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
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <div>
-  <div class="modal-header">{{'dso-selector.create.collection.head' | translate}}
+  <div class="modal-header">{{'dso-selector.select.collection.head' | translate}}
     <button type="button" class="close" (click)="closeCollectionModal()" aria-label="Close">
       <span aria-hidden="true">×</span>
     </button>
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <ds-loading *ngIf="isLoading()"></ds-loading>
     <ds-collection-dropdown [ngClass]="{'d-none': isLoading()}"
                             (selectionChange)="selectObject($event)"
-                            (hasChoice)="onHasChoice($event)"
+                            (searchComplete)="searchComplete()"
                             (theOnlySelectable)="theOnlySelectable($event)"
                             [entityType]="entityType">
     </ds-collection-dropdown>
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 3fb2d971b5..cd7fa86b0a 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
@@ -78,25 +78,23 @@ describe('SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent test suite', () => {
       expect(compAsAny.activeModal.dismiss).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
-    it('should be in loading state when hasChoice variable is different to true', () => {
-      comp.hasChoice = null;
+    it('should be in loading state when search is not completed', () => {
+      comp.loading = null;
+      expect(comp.isLoading()).toBeFalse();
+
+      comp.loading = true;
       expect(comp.isLoading()).toBeTrue();
 
-      comp.hasChoice = false;
-      expect(comp.isLoading()).toBeTrue();
-
-      comp.hasChoice = true;
+      comp.loading = false;
       expect(comp.isLoading()).toBeFalse();
     });
 
-    it('should set hasChoice variable on hasChoice event', () => {
-      comp.hasChoice = null;
+    it('should set loading variable to false on searchComplete event', () => {
+      comp.loading = null;
 
-      comp.onHasChoice(true);
-      expect(comp.hasChoice).toBe(true);
+      comp.searchComplete();
+      expect(comp.loading).toBe(false);
 
-      comp.onHasChoice(false);
-      expect(comp.hasChoice).toBe(false);
     });
 
     it('should emit theOnlySelectable', () => {
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 588bce89f9..e35bde03cf 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
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ export class SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent {
   public entityType: string;
 
   /**
-   * If a collection choice is available
+   * If collection searching is pending or not
    */
-  public hasChoice: boolean = null;
+  public loading = true;
 
   /**
    * Initialize the component variables.
@@ -60,14 +60,15 @@ export class SubmissionImportExternalCollectionComponent {
    * Set the hasChoice state
    * @param hasChoice
    */
-  public onHasChoice(hasChoice: boolean) {
-    this.hasChoice = hasChoice;
+  public searchComplete() {
+    this.loading = false;
   }
 
   /**
    * If the component is in loading state.
    */
   public isLoading(): boolean {
-    return this.hasChoice !== true;
+    return !!this.loading;
   }
+
 }