diff --git a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderElement.java b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderElement.java
index 91b7189da..259b87cf6 100644
--- a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderElement.java
+++ b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderElement.java
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ public abstract class OrderElement extends BaseEntity implements
         return this;
     }
 
-    private void setExternalCode(String externalCode) {
+    protected void setExternalCode(String externalCode) {
         this.externalCode = externalCode;
     }
 
diff --git a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
index a83033c5d..79824f7d7 100644
--- a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
+++ b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ public class OrderLine extends OrderElement {
         if (getCode() != null) {
             this.setCode(getCode());
         }
+
+        // propagate external code to new container
+        result.setExternalCode(getExternalCode());
+        this.setExternalCode(null);
+
         return result;
     }