diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/utils.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/utils.py
index b33fee4b7d3e0db723bee47280872b443e33f269..2d3e5c780a8af2ad33507a8a4c152b02d0e1e0ec 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/utils.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/utils.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def return_field_or_property(value, prop=None):
     single value or (in case of dict as value) a value of the dict.
     """
 
-    if isinstance(value, dict) and prop in el:
+    if isinstance(value, dict) and prop in value:
         return value[prop]
     else:
         return value