diff --git a/emmet-core/emmet/core/tasks.py b/emmet-core/emmet/core/tasks.py
index a6a74efa4a..f7bd3668fb 100644
--- a/emmet-core/emmet/core/tasks.py
+++ b/emmet-core/emmet/core/tasks.py
@@ -104,7 +104,11 @@ def set_density_from_structure(cls, values):
         # specified. This might happen when importing an older atomate2-format
         # TaskDocument.
         if not values.get("density", None):
-            values["density"] = values["structure"].density
+            if isinstance(values["structure"], dict):
+                values["density"] = values["structure"].get("density", None)
+            else:
+                values["density"] = values["structure"].density
+
         return values
 
     @classmethod