diff --git a/pype/ftrack/lib/avalon_sync.py b/pype/ftrack/lib/avalon_sync.py
index fea07ec7dc..cb33c76a30 100644
--- a/pype/ftrack/lib/avalon_sync.py
+++ b/pype/ftrack/lib/avalon_sync.py
@@ -177,6 +177,11 @@ def import_to_avalon(
         return output
 
     mongo_id = entity['custom_attributes'][ca_mongoid]
+    mongo_id = mongo_id.replace(' ', '').replace('\n', '')
+    try:
+        ObjectId(mongo_id)
+    except Exception:
+        mongo_id = ''
 
     if mongo_id is not '':
         avalon_asset = database[project_name].find_one(
diff --git a/pype/lib.py b/pype/lib.py
index a1834e13ee..f0ffba3085 100644
--- a/pype/lib.py
+++ b/pype/lib.py
@@ -442,16 +442,20 @@ def get_avalon_asset_template_schema():
 
 def get_avalon_database():
     if io._database is None:
-        project = os.environ.get('AVALON_PROJECT', '')
-        asset = os.environ.get('AVALON_ASSET', '')
-        silo = os.environ.get('AVALON_SILO', '')
-        os.environ['AVALON_PROJECT'] = project
-        os.environ['AVALON_ASSET'] = asset
-        os.environ['AVALON_SILO'] = silo
-        io.install()
+        set_io_database()
     return io._database
 
 
+def set_io_database():
+    project = os.environ.get('AVALON_PROJECT', '')
+    asset = os.environ.get('AVALON_ASSET', '')
+    silo = os.environ.get('AVALON_SILO', '')
+    os.environ['AVALON_PROJECT'] = project
+    os.environ['AVALON_ASSET'] = asset
+    os.environ['AVALON_SILO'] = silo
+    io.install()
+
+
 def get_all_avalon_projects():
     db = get_avalon_database()
     project_names = db.collection_names()
diff --git a/pype/templates.py b/pype/templates.py
index ccfa3216f2..cf246defb3 100644
--- a/pype/templates.py
+++ b/pype/templates.py
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ import os
 import re
 from avalon import io
 from avalon import api as avalon
-
+from . import lib
 from app.api import (Templates, Logger, format)
 log = Logger.getLogger(__name__,
                        os.getenv("AVALON_APP", "pype-config"))
 
 SESSION = avalon.session
 if not SESSION:
-    io.install()
+    lib.set_io_database()
 
 
 def load_data_from_templates():