diff --git a/packages/salesforce-adapter/src/filters/custom_object_translation.ts b/packages/salesforce-adapter/src/filters/custom_object_translation.ts
index ddc7199be33..973a3a87106 100644
--- a/packages/salesforce-adapter/src/filters/custom_object_translation.ts
+++ b/packages/salesforce-adapter/src/filters/custom_object_translation.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 */
 import wu from 'wu'
 import {
-  Element, ElemID, findInstances, InstanceElement,
+  Element, ElemID, findInstances, InstanceElement, INSTANCE_ANNOTATIONS, ReferenceExpression,
 } from '@salto-io/adapter-api'
 import { collections } from '@salto-io/lowerdash'
 import _ from 'lodash'
@@ -51,12 +51,19 @@ const filterCreator = (): FilterWith<'onFetch'> => ({
       .forEach(customTranslation => {
         const customObjApiName = apiNameParts(customTranslation)[0]
 
-        // Change fields to reference
+        // Add parent annotation
         const customObj = apiNameToCustomObject.get(customObjApiName)
+        if (customObj) {
+          customTranslation.annotate({
+            [INSTANCE_ANNOTATIONS.PARENT]: new ReferenceExpression(customObj.elemID),
+          })
+        }
+
+        // Change fields to reference
         makeArray(customTranslation.value[FIELDS]).forEach(field => {
           const customField = customObj?.fields[field[NAME]]
           if (customField) {
-            field[NAME] = customField.elemID
+            field[NAME] = new ReferenceExpression(customField.elemID)
           }
         })
 
@@ -65,7 +72,7 @@ const filterCreator = (): FilterWith<'onFetch'> => ({
         makeArray(customTranslation.value[VALIDATION_RULES]).forEach(rule => {
           const ruleInstance = objRules?.find(r => _.isEqual(ruleShortName(r), rule[NAME]))
           if (ruleInstance) {
-            rule[NAME] = ruleInstance.elemID
+            rule[NAME] = new ReferenceExpression(ruleInstance.elemID)
           }
         })
       })
diff --git a/packages/salesforce-adapter/test/filters/custom_object_translation.test.ts b/packages/salesforce-adapter/test/filters/custom_object_translation.test.ts
index 7f2564fd33a..0a12c696ada 100644
--- a/packages/salesforce-adapter/test/filters/custom_object_translation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/salesforce-adapter/test/filters/custom_object_translation.test.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 */
 import _ from 'lodash'
 import {
-  ObjectType, InstanceElement, Field, BuiltinTypes, ElemID,
+  ObjectType, InstanceElement, Field, BuiltinTypes, ElemID, ReferenceExpression,
 } from '@salto-io/adapter-api'
 import filterCreator from '../../src/filters/custom_object_translation'
 import {
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ describe('custom object translation filter', () => {
     beforeAll(async () => {
       const filter = filterCreator() as FilterWith<'onFetch'>
       const testElements = [
-        _.clone(objTranslationInstance),
-        _.clone(customObject),
-        _.clone(objTranslationType),
-        _.clone(validationRuleType),
-        _.clone(validationRuleInstance),
+        objTranslationInstance.clone(),
+        customObject.clone(),
+        objTranslationType.clone(),
+        validationRuleType.clone(),
+        validationRuleInstance.clone(),
       ]
       await filter.onFetch(testElements)
       postFilter = testElements[0] as InstanceElement
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ describe('custom object translation filter', () => {
     describe('fields reference', () => {
       it('should transform fields to reference', async () => {
         expect(postFilter.value.fields[0].name)
-          .toEqual(customObject.fields[customFieldName].elemID)
+          .toEqual(new ReferenceExpression(customObject.fields[customFieldName].elemID))
       })
       it('should keep name as is if no referenced field was found', async () => {
         expect(postFilter.value.fields[1].name).toBe('not-exists')
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ describe('custom object translation filter', () => {
     describe('validation rules reference', () => {
       it('should transform validation rules to reference', async () => {
         expect(postFilter.value.validationRules[0].name)
-          .toEqual(validationRuleInstance.elemID)
+          .toEqual(new ReferenceExpression(validationRuleInstance.elemID))
       })
       it('should keep name as is if no referenced validation rules was found', async () => {
         expect(postFilter.value.validationRules[1].name).toBe('not-exists')