diff --git a/app/models/relationship.rb b/app/models/relationship.rb
index c704164ae..e9a59c5e8 100644
--- a/app/models/relationship.rb
+++ b/app/models/relationship.rb
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ def create_or_update_parent_id
   end
 
   def self.create_unless_exists(source_id, target_id, relationship_type, options = {})
-    r = Relationship.where(source_id: source_id, target_id: target_id).where('relationship_type = ?', relationship_type.to_yaml).last
-    r = Relationship.where(target_id: target_id).last if r.nil?
+    r = Relationship.where(target_id: target_id).where.not(source_id: source_id).last
+    r = Relationship.where(source_id: source_id, target_id: target_id).where('relationship_type = ?', relationship_type.to_yaml).last unless r.nil?
     exception_message = nil
     exception_class = nil
     if r.nil?