diff --git a/fedn/network/storage/statestore/mongostatestore.py b/fedn/network/storage/statestore/mongostatestore.py
index 7262e5554..ffae773d0 100644
--- a/fedn/network/storage/statestore/mongostatestore.py
+++ b/fedn/network/storage/statestore/mongostatestore.py
@@ -738,7 +738,11 @@ def set_client(self, client_data):
         :return:
         """
         client_data["updated_at"] = str(datetime.now())
-        self.clients.update_one({"client_id": client_data["client_id"]}, {"$set": client_data}, True)
+        try:
+            self.clients.update_one({"client_id": client_data["client_id"]}, {"$set": client_data}, True)
+        except KeyError:
+            # If client_id is not present, use name as identifier, for backwards compatibility
+            self.clients.update_one({"name": client_data["name"]}, {"$set": client_data}, True)
 
     def get_client(self, client_id):
         """Get client by client_id.