diff --git a/R/SDMXServiceProvider-methods.R b/R/SDMXServiceProvider-methods.R
index 654e941..fd5c645 100644
--- a/R/SDMXServiceProvider-methods.R
+++ b/R/SDMXServiceProvider-methods.R
@@ -168,7 +168,10 @@ setSDMXServiceProviders <- function(){ # nocov start
     builder = SDMXREST21RequestBuilder(
       regUrl = "https://api.imf.org/external/sdmx/2.1",
       repoUrl = "https://api.imf.org/external/sdmx/2.1",
-      compliant = TRUE)
+      compliant = TRUE,
+      formatter$datastructure = function(obj){
+        if(is.null(obj@references)) obj@references = "descendants"
+        return(obj)})
   )
     
   #OECD
diff --git a/R/readSDMX.R b/R/readSDMX.R
index ea40903..e2fd81c 100644
--- a/R/readSDMX.R
+++ b/R/readSDMX.R
@@ -208,13 +208,6 @@ readSDMX <- function(file = NULL, isURL = TRUE, isRData = FALSE,
                        references = references,
                        compliant = provider@builder@compliant
                      )
-    
-    #allow IMF requests to use descendants instead of children
-    if(providerId == "IMF_DATA"){
-      if(is.null(references)){
-        requestParams@references <- "descendants"
-      }
-    }
 
     #formatting requestParams
     requestFormatter <- provider@builder@formatter