diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/audit/HBaseBasedAuditRepository.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/audit/HBaseBasedAuditRepository.java
index d0ff22951d..6f4415fa82 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/audit/HBaseBasedAuditRepository.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/audit/HBaseBasedAuditRepository.java
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ public void putEventsV2(List<EntityAuditEventV2> events) throws AtlasBaseExcepti
                 addColumn(put, COLUMN_TYPE, ENTITY_AUDIT_V2);
 
                 if (persistEntityDefinition) {
-                    addColumn(put, COLUMN_DEFINITION, event.getEntity());
+                    addColumn(put, COLUMN_DEFINITION, event.getEntityDefinitionString());
                 }
 
                 puts.add(put);