diff --git a/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/config.py b/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/config.py
index ea15b3bffc92c017756d542a4ae2cc94967116ac..19760d378174b60d0e71f4d2e36264fc4f4b427a 100644
--- a/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/config.py
+++ b/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/config.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SPECIFICATIONTRANSLATION_SERVICENAME = "specificationtranslationservice"
 
 # TODO: mom.importxml does not prepend "test." on the test system?
 MOMIMPORTXML_BUSNAME = "mom.importxml"
-MOMIMPORTXML_SUBJECT = "add specification"
+MOMIMPORTXML_BROKER = "lcs023.control.lofar"
 
 # XSD paths (for validation service)
 TRIGGER_XSD = "$LOFARROOT/share/SAS/LofarTrigger.xsd"
diff --git a/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/specification_service.py b/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/specification_service.py
index afb8d9c516f2a01d109876693ef690d80ead8835..1f995c8d03151e6ae87d05ed6813f70ebb195143 100644
--- a/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/specification_service.py
+++ b/SAS/SpecificationServices/lib/specification_service.py
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ from io import BytesIO
 from lofar.common.util import waitForInterrupt
 # TODO: mom.importxml uses old messaging interface
 from lofar.messagebus.message import MessageContent
-from lofar.messaging import RPCService, EventMessage, DEFAULT_BROKER, DEFAULT_BUSNAME, \
-    ServiceMessageHandler
+from lofar.messaging import RPCService, DEFAULT_BUSNAME, DEFAULT_BROKER, ServiceMessageHandler
 from lofar.messagebus.messagebus import ToBus as ToBusOld
 from lofar.messagebus.message import MessageContent as MessageContentOld
 from lofar.mom.momqueryservice.momqueryrpc import MoMQueryRPC
@@ -35,10 +34,7 @@ from lofar.specificationservices.translation_service_rpc import TranslationRPC
 from lofar.specificationservices.validation_service_rpc import ValidationRPC
 from lofar.common.xmlparse import parse_xml_string_or_bytestring
 
-from .config import \
-    SPECIFICATION_SERVICENAME, \
-    MOMIMPORTXML_BUSNAME, \
-    MOMIMPORTXML_SUBJECT
+from .config import SPECIFICATION_SERVICENAME, MOMIMPORTXML_BUSNAME, MOMIMPORTXML_BROKER
 
 permitted_activities = ["observation", "pipeline", "measurement"]
 permitted_statuses = ["opened", "approved"]
@@ -253,6 +249,7 @@ class SpecificationHandler(ServiceMessageHandler):
                 raise Exception("Invalid MoM specification: %s", response["error"])
 
     def _add_spec_to_mom(self, mom_xml):
+        logger.info("about to send mom_xml: %s", mom_xml)
         # Construct message payload using old-style (MessageBus) message format
         msg = MessageContentOld()
         msg.protocol = "mom.importxml"
@@ -260,12 +257,19 @@ class SpecificationHandler(ServiceMessageHandler):
         msg.summary = "Translated LOFAR specifications"
         msg.momid = -1
         msg.sasid = -1
-        msg.payload = "\n%s\n" % (mom_xml, )  # MoM needs enters around the payload to avoid "Content not allowed in prolog" error
 
-        #emsg = MessageOld(subject=MOMIMPORTXML_SUBJECT, content=content)
+        # prepare payload in xml to have a %s which can be filled in with plain xml in the qmsg below...
+        # MoM needs enters around the payload to avoid "Content not allowed in prolog" error
+        msg.payload = "\n%s\n"
 
-        with ToBusOld(queue=MOMIMPORTXML_BUSNAME, broker=DEFAULT_BROKER) as momimportxml_bus:
-            momimportxml_bus.send(msg)
+        # convert to qpid message (which is a proton message nowadays)
+        qmsg = msg.qpidMsg()
+        # and inject the mom_xml in the message xml
+        qmsg.body = qmsg.body % (mom_xml, )
+
+        with ToBusOld(queue=MOMIMPORTXML_BUSNAME,
+                      broker=MOMIMPORTXML_BROKER) as momimportxml_bus:
+            momimportxml_bus.send(qmsg)
 
             logger.debug("Send specs to MOM: %s", mom_xml)