diff --git a/backend/pkg/database/gorm_common.go b/backend/pkg/database/gorm_common.go
index 4b006b66..3863da82 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/database/gorm_common.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/database/gorm_common.go
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ func (gr *GormRepository) AddResourceComposition(ctx context.Context, compositio
 	}
 
 	//generate placeholder source
-	placeholderSource := models.SourceCredential{UserID: currentUser.ID, SourceType: "manual", ModelBase: models.ModelBase{ID: uuid.MustParse("00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000")}}
+	placeholderSource := models.SourceCredential{UserID: currentUser.ID, SourceType: "manual", ModelBase: models.ModelBase{ID: uuid.Nil}}
 
 	existingCompositionResources := []*models.ResourceBase{}
 	rawResourceLookupTable := map[string]*models.ResourceBase{}
diff --git a/backend/pkg/database/gorm_repository_test.go b/backend/pkg/database/gorm_repository_test.go
index c67ffeff..53d0816d 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/database/gorm_repository_test.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/database/gorm_repository_test.go
@@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ func (suite *RepositoryTestSuite) TestAddResourceComposition_WithExistingComposi
 
 	//assert that the associations were created
 	associations, err := dbRepo.FindResourceAssociationsByTypeAndId(authContext,
-		&models.SourceCredential{UserID: userModel.ID, ModelBase: models.ModelBase{ID: uuid.MustParse("00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000")}}, //Compositions have a unique/placeholder credential ID
+		&models.SourceCredential{UserID: userModel.ID, ModelBase: models.ModelBase{ID: uuid.Nil}}, //Compositions have a unique/placeholder credential ID
 		"Composition", compositions[0].SourceResourceID)
 	require.NoError(suite.T(), err)
 	require.Equal(suite.T(), 5, len(associations))