diff --git a/omod/src/main/webapp/tags/conceptField.tag b/omod/src/main/webapp/tags/conceptField.tag
index 25bd1292..bfbf33ea 100644
--- a/omod/src/main/webapp/tags/conceptField.tag
+++ b/omod/src/main/webapp/tags/conceptField.tag
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@
 
 		<c:if test="${not empty initialValue}">
 			// fetch the concept object they passed the value in of and do the normal "select" stuff
-			DWRConceptService.getConcept("${initialValue}", function(concept) { func${escapedFormFieldId}AutoCompleteOnSelect(concept); });
+			
+			DWRConceptService.getConcept(convert("${initialValue}"), function(concept) { func${escapedFormFieldId}AutoCompleteOnSelect(concept); });
 		</c:if>
 		
 		<c:if test="${not empty showAnswers}">
@@ -76,6 +77,10 @@
 		
 	})
 	
+	function convert(conc){
+		return conc.replace(/[^\d.]/g,'');	
+	}
+	
 	function func${escapedFormFieldId}AutoCompleteOnSelect(concept, item) {
 
         var conceptId = concept ? concept.conceptId : null