diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/models/data_model.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/models/data_model.py
index 92afb7ebd0f225d7cf84e5a977cf05c975ccf160..6bc91c22d4f8ff7f35d785b103623d2f0964f399 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/models/data_model.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/models/data_model.py
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ class DataModel(dict):
             if parent.name in visited_parents:
                 continue
             visited_parents.add(parent.name)
-            parent_importance = importances.get(parent._flags.get("inheritance"), 999)
+            parent_importance = importances.get(parent.flags.get("inheritance"), 999)
             if parent.name in self:
                 deep_parent = self.get_deep(parent.name,  # visited_props=visited_props,
                                             visited_parents=visited_parents
diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/structure_mapping.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/structure_mapping.py
index aac051a116f5c633b8b11dc8f1e36f793b21a64d..aba47058cb992587089ac9af3559ca9981aa96f9 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/structure_mapping.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/structure_mapping.py
@@ -43,10 +43,9 @@ class EntityMapping(object):
         self.to_target = {}
 
     def add(self, target, existing):
-        if target._cuid is None:
-            target._cuid = str(uuid())
-        self.to_existing[str(target._cuid)] = existing
+        if target.cuid is None:
             target._cuid = str(uuid())       # pylint: disable=protected-access
+        self.to_existing[str(target.cuid)] = existing
         self.to_target[existing.id] = target
 
 
@@ -108,11 +107,11 @@ def update_structure(em, updating: db.Container, target_structure: db.Record):
         A record which may have references to other records.  Must be a DAG.
     """
 
-    if target_structure._cuid in em.to_existing:
+    if target_structure.cuid in em.to_existing:
         update_matched_entity(em,
                               updating,
                               target_structure,
-                              em.to_existing[target_structure._cuid])
+                              em.to_existing[target_structure.cuid])
 
     for prop in target_structure.get_properties():
         if prop.is_reference(server_retrieval=True):
@@ -139,8 +138,8 @@ def update_matched_entity(em, updating, target_record, existing_record):
         # check for remaining property types
 
         if isinstance(prop.value, db.Entity):
-            if prop.value._cuid in em.to_existing:
-                value = em.to_existing[prop.value._cuid].id
+            if prop.value.cuid in em.to_existing:
+                value = em.to_existing[prop.value.cuid].id
             else:
                 value = prop.value.id
         else: