diff --git a/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/WbItemVariable.java b/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/WbItemVariable.java
index 9eebde938..bea6636e7 100644
--- a/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/WbItemVariable.java
+++ b/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/WbItemVariable.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonCreator;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
 
 import com.google.refine.model.Cell;
+import com.google.refine.model.Recon.Judgment;
 
 public class WbItemVariable extends WbItemExpr {
     /* An item that depends on a reconciled value in a column */
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ public class WbItemVariable extends WbItemExpr {
     @Override
     public ItemIdValue evaluate(ExpressionContext ctxt) throws SkipSchemaExpressionException {
         Cell cell = ctxt.getCellByName(getColumnName());
-        if (cell != null && cell.recon != null) {
+        if (cell != null && cell.recon != null
+                && (Judgment.Matched.equals(cell.recon.judgment) ||
+                    Judgment.New.equals(cell.recon.judgment))) {
             return new ReconItemIdValue(cell.recon, cell.value.toString());
         }
         throw new SkipSchemaExpressionException();
diff --git a/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/entityvalues/ReconEntityIdValue.java b/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/entityvalues/ReconEntityIdValue.java
index 51d6b6817..44190310a 100644
--- a/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/entityvalues/ReconEntityIdValue.java
+++ b/extensions/wikidata/src/org/openrefine/wikidata/schema/entityvalues/ReconEntityIdValue.java
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ public abstract class ReconEntityIdValue implements PrefetchedEntityIdValue {
     public ReconEntityIdValue(Recon match, String cellValue) {
         _recon = match;
         _cellValue = cellValue;
+        assert (Recon.Judgment.Matched.equals(_recon.judgment) ||
+                Recon.Judgment.New.equals(_recon.judgment));
     }
     
     protected boolean isMatched() {