diff --git a/R/mtscr_model.R b/R/mtscr_model.R
index 6f53557..3110dff 100644
--- a/R/mtscr_model.R
+++ b/R/mtscr_model.R
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ mtscr_model <- function(df, id_column, item_column = NULL, score_column, top = 1
   self_ranking_quo <- rlang::enquo(self_ranking)
   if (!rlang::quo_is_null(self_ranking_quo)) {
     self_ranking <- rlang::ensym(self_ranking)
+  } else {
+    self_ranking <- self_ranking_quo
   }
 
   # check if all .ordering_X columns exist
diff --git a/R/mtscr_prepare.R b/R/mtscr_prepare.R
index 0417b49..921c0cf 100644
--- a/R/mtscr_prepare.R
+++ b/R/mtscr_prepare.R
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ mtscr_prepare <- function(df, id_column, item_column = NULL, score_column, top =
   self_ranking_quo <- rlang::enquo(self_ranking)
   if (!rlang::quo_is_null(self_ranking_quo)) {
     self_ranking <- rlang::ensym(self_ranking)
+  } else {
+    self_ranking <- self_ranking_quo
   }
 
   # check if df is a data frame
diff --git a/R/mtscr_score.R b/R/mtscr_score.R
index ca7f476..cd10dad 100644
--- a/R/mtscr_score.R
+++ b/R/mtscr_score.R
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ mtscr_score <- function(df, id_column, item_column = NULL, score_column, top = 1
   self_ranking_quo <- rlang::enquo(self_ranking)
   if (!rlang::quo_is_null(self_ranking_quo)) {
     self_ranking <- rlang::ensym(self_ranking)
+  } else {
+    self_ranking <- self_ranking_quo
   }
   df_original <- df