diff --git a/src/packagedcode/debian.py b/src/packagedcode/debian.py
index 86623671efe..5590a0161bf 100644
--- a/src/packagedcode/debian.py
+++ b/src/packagedcode/debian.py
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ def assemble(cls, package_data, resource, codebase):
                 package.update(
                     package_data=pkgdt,
                     datafile_path=res.path,
-            )
+                )
 
             res.for_packages.append(package_uid)
             res.save(codebase)
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ def parse_debian_files_list(location, datasource_id, package_type):
 
             ref = models.FileReference(path=path, md5=md5sum)
             file_references.append(ref)
-    
+
     if not file_references:
         return
 
diff --git a/src/packagedcode/models.py b/src/packagedcode/models.py
index 401571a7c49..4f140ad9b01 100644
--- a/src/packagedcode/models.py
+++ b/src/packagedcode/models.py
@@ -1274,6 +1274,9 @@ def update(self, package_data, datafile_path, replace=False):
         if not package_data:
             return
 
+        if isinstance(package_data, dict):
+            package_data = PackageData.from_dict(package_data)
+
         if not self.is_compatible(package_data, include_qualifiers=False):
             if TRACE_UPDATE:
                 logger_debug(f'update: {self.purl} not compatible with: {package_data.purl}')