diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
index 47b419e6a4..e2bf27e791 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ describe('ObjectCacheService', () => {
 
   describe('getList', () => {
     it('should return an observable of the array of cached objects with the specified self link and type', () => {
-      const item = new NormalizedItem();
-      item.self = selfLink;
+      const item = new Item();
+      item._links.self = { href: selfLink };
       spyOn(service, 'getObjectBySelfLink').and.returnValue(observableOf(item));
 
       service.getList([selfLink, selfLink]).pipe(first()).subscribe((arr) => {
         expect(arr[0].self).toBe(selfLink);
-        expect(arr[0] instanceof NormalizedItem).toBeTruthy();
+        expect(arr[0] instanceof Item).toBeTruthy();
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/server-sync-buffer.effects.spec.ts b/src/app/core/cache/server-sync-buffer.effects.spec.ts
index 773e0ab60c..52407270c2 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/server-sync-buffer.effects.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/server-sync-buffer.effects.spec.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe('ServerSyncBufferEffects', () => {
           provide: ObjectCacheService, useValue: {
             getObjectBySelfLink: (link) => {
               const object = new DSpaceObject();
-              object.self = link;
+              object._links.self = { href: link };
               return observableOf(object);
             }
           }
diff --git a/src/app/core/data/data.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/data/data.service.spec.ts
index ca5f2cc12e..2244b4c346 100644
--- a/src/app/core/data/data.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/data.service.spec.ts
@@ -185,11 +185,11 @@ describe('DataService', () => {
       selfLink = 'https://rest.api/endpoint/1698f1d3-be98-4c51-9fd8-6bfedcbd59b7';
 
       dso = new DSpaceObject();
-      dso.self = selfLink;
+      dso._links.self = { href: selfLink };
       dso.metadata = [{ key: 'dc.title', value: name1 }];
 
       dso2 = new DSpaceObject();
-      dso2.self = selfLink;
+      dso2._link.self = { href: selfLink };
       dso2.metadata = [{ key: 'dc.title', value: name2 }];
 
       spyOn(service, 'findByHref').and.returnValue(createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(dso));
diff --git a/src/app/shared/testing/eperson-mock.ts b/src/app/shared/testing/eperson-mock.ts
index c822fc15d6..44585f278f 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/testing/eperson-mock.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/testing/eperson-mock.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ export const EPersonMock: EPerson = Object.assign(new EPerson(),{
   email: 'test@test.com',
   requireCertificate: false,
   selfRegistered: false,
-  self: 'https://dspace.4science.it/dspace-spring-rest/api/eperson/epersons/testid',
+  _links: {
+    self: {
+      href: 'https://dspace.4science.it/dspace-spring-rest/api/eperson/epersons/testid',
+    }
+  },
   id: 'testid',
   uuid: 'testid',
   type: 'eperson',