diff --git a/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/ExpressionVariables.java b/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/ExpressionVariables.java
index e1fd4ab14d0..dd1714a7449 100644
--- a/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/ExpressionVariables.java
+++ b/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/ExpressionVariables.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package com.evolveum.midpoint.model.common.expression;
 
+import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.PrismObject;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.schema.util.SchemaDebugUtil;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.util.DOMUtil;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.util.DebugDumpable;
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.util.logging.Trace;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.util.logging.TraceManager;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.xml.ns._public.common.common_3.ObjectReferenceType;
+import com.evolveum.midpoint.xml.ns._public.common.common_3.ObjectType;
+
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
 
@@ -158,6 +161,21 @@ public <T> T get(QName name, Class<T> type) throws SchemaException {
     	throw new SchemaException("Expected type "+type.getSimpleName()+" in variable "+name+", but found type "+object.getClass());
     }
     
+    public <O extends ObjectType> PrismObject<O> getObjectNew(QName name) throws SchemaException {
+    	Object object = get(name);
+    	if (object == null) {
+    		return null;
+    	}
+    	if (object instanceof PrismObject) {
+    		return (PrismObject<O>) object;
+    	}
+    	if (object instanceof ObjectDeltaObject<?>) {
+    		ObjectDeltaObject<O> odo = (ObjectDeltaObject<O>)object;
+    		return odo.getNewObject();
+    	}
+    	throw new SchemaException("Expected object in variable "+name+", but found type "+object.getClass());
+    }
+    
     public Set<Entry<QName,Object>> entrySet() {
     	return variables.entrySet();
     }
diff --git a/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/evaluator/GenerateExpressionEvaluator.java b/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/evaluator/GenerateExpressionEvaluator.java
index 9ae21ed745c..7281e0a6933 100644
--- a/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/evaluator/GenerateExpressionEvaluator.java
+++ b/model/model-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/model/common/expression/evaluator/GenerateExpressionEvaluator.java
@@ -186,11 +186,11 @@ private <O extends ObjectType> PrismObject<O> getObject(ExpressionEvaluationCont
 		if (variables == null) {
 			return null;
 		}
-		PrismObject<O> object = variables.get(ExpressionConstants.VAR_PROJECTION, PrismObject.class);
+		PrismObject<O> object = variables.getObjectNew(ExpressionConstants.VAR_PROJECTION);
 		if (object != null) {
 			return object;
 		}
-		object = variables.get(ExpressionConstants.VAR_FOCUS, PrismObject.class);
+		object = variables.getObjectNew(ExpressionConstants.VAR_FOCUS);
 		return object;
 	}