diff --git a/backend/composer/management/commands/ingest_statements.py b/backend/composer/management/commands/ingest_statements.py
index d20239f7..dfc7492e 100644
--- a/backend/composer/management/commands/ingest_statements.py
+++ b/backend/composer/management/commands/ingest_statements.py
@@ -32,13 +32,12 @@ def add_arguments(self, parser):
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
         update_upstream = options['update_upstream']
         update_anatomical_entities = options['update_anatomical_entities']
-        should_overwrite = options['overwrite']
         full_imports = options['full_imports']
         label_imports = options['label_imports']
 
         start_time = time.time()
 
-        ingest_statements(update_upstream, update_anatomical_entities, should_overwrite, full_imports, label_imports)
+        ingest_statements(update_upstream, update_anatomical_entities, full_imports, label_imports)
 
         end_time = time.time()
 
diff --git a/backend/composer/services/cs_ingestion/cs_ingestion_services.py b/backend/composer/services/cs_ingestion/cs_ingestion_services.py
index 184f3c63..4015ca86 100644
--- a/backend/composer/services/cs_ingestion/cs_ingestion_services.py
+++ b/backend/composer/services/cs_ingestion/cs_ingestion_services.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 logger_service = LoggerService()
 
 
-def ingest_statements(update_upstream=False, update_anatomical_entities=False, should_overwrite=True, full_imports=[], label_imports=[]):
+def ingest_statements(update_upstream=False, update_anatomical_entities=False, full_imports=None, label_imports=None):
     statements_list = get_statements_from_neurondm(full_imports=full_imports, label_imports=label_imports, logger_service_param=logger_service)
     overridable_statements = get_overwritable_statements(statements_list)
     statements = validate_statements(overridable_statements, update_anatomical_entities)