diff --git a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptCreateRequest.java b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptCreateRequest.java
index 8b3fe367e22..5d2c8f13393 100644
--- a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptCreateRequest.java
+++ b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptCreateRequest.java
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public String execute(TransactionContext context) {
 
 	private SnomedConceptDocument convertConcept(final TransactionContext context) {
 		final String newDefinitionStatusId;
-		final Set<String> newAxiomExpressions = getOwlAxiomExpressions();
+		final Set<String> newAxiomExpressions = getOwlAxiomExpressions(context);
 
 		if (!newAxiomExpressions.isEmpty()) {
 			newDefinitionStatusId = SnomedOWLAxiomHelper.getDefinitionStatusFromExpressions(newAxiomExpressions);
@@ -140,12 +140,17 @@ private SnomedConceptDocument convertConcept(final TransactionContext context) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private Set<String> getOwlAxiomExpressions() {
+	private Set<String> getOwlAxiomExpressions(final TransactionContext context) {
 		return Optional.ofNullable(members()).map(Collection::stream).orElseGet(Stream::empty)
 			.filter(req -> req.hasProperty(SnomedRf2Headers.FIELD_OWL_EXPRESSION))
+			.filter(req -> {
+				String owlExpression = req.getProperty(SnomedRf2Headers.FIELD_OWL_EXPRESSION);
+				SnomedOWLExpressionConverterResult result = context.service(SnomedOWLExpressionConverter.class)
+						.toSnomedOWLRelationships(req.getReferencedComponentId(), owlExpression);
+				return result.getGciAxiomRelationships() == null || result.getGciAxiomRelationships().isEmpty();
+			})
 			.map(req -> req.getProperty(SnomedRf2Headers.FIELD_OWL_EXPRESSION))
 			.collect(Collectors.toSet());
-		
 	}
 	
 	private void convertDescriptions(TransactionContext context, final String conceptId) {
diff --git a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptUpdateRequest.java b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptUpdateRequest.java
index 499feac7097..4a680f505c5 100644
--- a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptUpdateRequest.java
+++ b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedConceptUpdateRequest.java
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ private boolean updateDefinitionStatus(final TransactionContext context, final S
 				.map(Collection::stream)
 				.orElseGet(Stream::empty)
 					.filter(member -> SnomedRefSetType.OWL_AXIOM == member.type() || Concepts.REFSET_OWL_AXIOM.equals(member.getReferenceSetId()))
+					.filter(member -> member.getGciOWLRelationships() == null || member.getGciOWLRelationships().isEmpty())  // Filter out GCI axioms
 					.map(member -> (String) member.getProperties().get(SnomedRf2Headers.FIELD_OWL_EXPRESSION))
 					.collect(Collectors.toSet());
 		
diff --git a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedOWLAxiomHelper.java b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedOWLAxiomHelper.java
index 6fb0355fd84..d31d8504a68 100644
--- a/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedOWLAxiomHelper.java
+++ b/snomed/com.b2international.snowowl.snomed.datastore/src/com/b2international/snowowl/snomed/datastore/request/SnomedOWLAxiomHelper.java
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ public static String getDefinitionStatusFromExpressions(Set<String> owlExpressio
 		
 		return owlExpressions.stream()
 				.filter(expression -> !Strings.isNullOrEmpty(expression))
-				.filter(expression -> expression.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH).contains(EQUIVALENTCLASSES))
+				.filter(expression -> !expression.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH).contains(EQUIVALENTCLASSES))
 				.findFirst()
-				.map(equivalentClassesAxiom -> Concepts.FULLY_DEFINED)
-				.orElse(Concepts.PRIMITIVE);
+				.map(equivalentClassesAxiom -> Concepts.PRIMITIVE)
+				.orElse(Concepts.FULLY_DEFINED);
 	}
 
 }