diff --git a/classes/expressions/LimeExpressionManager.php b/classes/expressions/LimeExpressionManager.php
index 61dcd35889c..3556c740077 100644
--- a/classes/expressions/LimeExpressionManager.php
+++ b/classes/expressions/LimeExpressionManager.php
@@ -3802,7 +3802,63 @@ static function StartSurvey($surveyid,$surveyMode='group',$options=NULL,$forceRe
 
             if (isset($_SESSION['startingValues']) && is_array($_SESSION['startingValues']) && count($_SESSION['startingValues']) > 0)
             {
-                $startingValues = $_SESSION['startingValues'];
+                $startingValues = array();
+                foreach ($_SESSION['startingValues'] as $k=>$value)
+                {
+                    if (isset($LEM->knownVars[$k]))
+                    {
+                        $knownVar = $LEM->knownVars[$k];
+                    }
+                    else if (isset($LEM->qcode2sgqa[$k]))
+                    {
+                        $knownVar = $LEM->knownVars[$LEM->qcode2sgqa[$k]];
+                    }
+                    else if (isset($LEM->tempVars[$k]))
+                    {
+                        $knownVar = $LEM->tempVar[$k];
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    if (!isset($knownVar['jsName']))
+                    {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    switch ($knownVar['type'])
+                    {
+                        case 'D': //DATE
+                            if (trim($value)=="")
+                            {
+                                $value = NULL;
+                            }
+                            else
+                            {
+                                $dateformatdatat=getDateFormatData($LEM->surveyOptions['surveyls_dateformat']);
+                                $datetimeobj = new Date_Time_Converter($value, $dateformatdatat['phpdate']);
+                                $value=$datetimeobj->convert("Y-m-d");
+                            }
+                            break;
+                        case 'N': //NUMERICAL QUESTION TYPE
+                        case 'K': //MULTIPLE NUMERICAL QUESTION
+                            if (trim($value)=="") {
+                                $value = NULL;
+                            }
+                            else {
+                                $value = sanitize_float($value);
+                            }
+                            break;
+                        case '|': //File Upload
+                            $value=NULL;  // can't upload a file via GET
+                            break;
+                    }
+                    $_SESSION[$knownVar['sgqa']] = $value;
+                    $startingValues[$k]=array(
+                        'type'=>$knownVar['type'],
+                        'value'=>$value,
+                    );
+
+                }
                 $LEM->_UpdateValuesInDatabase($startingValues);
             }
 
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index c3614e29d74..4ee638cbfc6 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -2270,50 +2270,15 @@ function buildsurveysession($previewGroup=false)
     //    }
     // Prefill questions/answers from command line params
     $startingValues=array();
-    if (isset($_SESSION['insertarray']))
+    if (isset($_GET))
     {
-        foreach($_SESSION['insertarray'] as $field)
+        foreach ($_GET as $k=>$v)
         {
-            if (isset($_GET[$field]) && $field!='token')
+            if (preg_match('/^(token|sid|lang|newtest)$/',$k))
             {
-                $value=$_GET[$field];
-                $type = $fieldmap[$field]['type'];
-                switch($type)
-                {
-                    case 'D': //DATE
-                        if (trim($value)=="")
-                        {
-                            $value = NULL;
-                        }
-                        else
-                        {
-                            $dateformatdatat=getDateFormatData($thissurvey['surveyls_dateformat']);
-                            $datetimeobj = new Date_Time_Converter($value, $dateformatdatat['phpdate']);
-                            $value=$datetimeobj->convert("Y-m-d");
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    case 'N': //NUMERICAL QUESTION TYPE
-                    case 'K': //MULTIPLE NUMERICAL QUESTION
-                        if (trim($value)=="") {
-                            $value = NULL;
-                        }
-                        else {
-                            $value = sanitize_float($value);
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    case '|': //File Upload
-                        $value=NULL;  // can't upload a file via GET
-                        break;
-                }
-                if (!is_null($value))
-                {
-                    $_SESSION[$field] = $value;
-                    $startingValues[$field] = array (
-                    'type'=>$type,
-                    'value'=>$value,
-                    );
-                }
+                continue;
             }
+            $startingValues[$k] = $v;
         }
     }
     $_SESSION['startingValues']=$startingValues;