diff --git a/src/main/java/uk/gov/hmcts/reform/sscs/reference/data/model/Language.java b/src/main/java/uk/gov/hmcts/reform/sscs/reference/data/model/Language.java
index 86349aafed..cbfe73a461 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uk/gov/hmcts/reform/sscs/reference/data/model/Language.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uk/gov/hmcts/reform/sscs/reference/data/model/Language.java
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@ public Language(String reference, String dialectReference) {
     }
 
     public String getFullReference() {
+        String fullReference = reference;
         if (nonNull(dialectReference)) {
-            reference = String.format("%s-%s", reference, dialectReference);
+            fullReference = String.format("%s-%s", reference, dialectReference);
         }
 
         if (nonNull(mrdReference)) {
-            reference = mrdReference;
+            fullReference = mrdReference;
         }
-        return reference;
+        return fullReference;
     }
 
     public String getName() {