diff --git a/src/main/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodService.java b/src/main/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodService.java
index 20f72a65d..94e03c433 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodService.java
@@ -248,14 +248,12 @@ public ProcessingPeriodDto findPeriod(UUID programId, UUID facilityId, UUID sugg
 
     if (suggestedPeriodId != null && period != null) {
 
-      ProcessingPeriodDto proposedPeriod = periodReferenceDataService
-          .searchById(suggestedPeriodId);
+      ProcessingPeriodDto
+          proposedPeriod = getPeriod(suggestedPeriodId);
 
-      if (!proposedPeriod.getId().equals(period.getId())) {
+      if (proposedPeriod != null && !proposedPeriod.getId()
+          .equals(period.getId())) {
         period = proposedPeriod;
-      } else {
-        throw new ValidationMessageException(new Message(
-            ERROR_PERIOD_SHOULD_BE_OLDEST_AND_NOT_ASSOCIATED));
       }
 
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodServiceTest.java b/src/test/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodServiceTest.java
index 5e28d554e..55bd2623e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodServiceTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/openlmis/requisition/service/PeriodServiceTest.java
@@ -406,12 +406,9 @@ public void shouldThrowExceptionIfPeriodIsNotTheOldest() {
 
     mockSupportedProgramStartDateNotSet();
     when(periodReferenceDataService.searchByProgramAndFacility(programId, facilityId))
-        .thenReturn(Lists.newArrayList(currentPeriod));
-
-    when(periodReferenceDataService.searchById(currentPeriod.getId()))
-        .thenReturn(currentPeriod);
+        .thenReturn(null);
 
-    periodService.findPeriod(programId, facilityId, currentPeriod.getId(), false);
+    periodService.findPeriod(programId, facilityId, UUID.randomUUID(), false);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -428,7 +425,7 @@ public void shouldThrowExceptionIfPeriodHasNoSuggestedPeriod() {
     when(periodReferenceDataService.searchByProgramAndFacility(programId, facilityId))
         .thenReturn(Lists.newArrayList(currentPeriod));
 
-    when(periodReferenceDataService.searchById(suggestedPeriod.getId()))
+    when(periodService.getPeriod(suggestedPeriod.getId()))
         .thenReturn(suggestedPeriod);
 
     ProcessingPeriodDto period = periodService