diff --git a/caom2/caom2/common.py b/caom2/caom2/common.py
index dd941af7..4f65673b 100644
--- a/caom2/caom2/common.py
+++ b/caom2/caom2/common.py
@@ -76,11 +76,14 @@
 
 from builtins import int, str
 from six.moves.urllib.parse import SplitResult, urlparse
+import logging
 
 from . import caom_util
 
 __all__ = ['CaomObject', 'AbstractCaomEntity', 'ObservationURI', 'ChecksumURI']
 
+logger = logging.getLogger('caom2')
+
 
 def get_current_ivoa_time():
     """Generate a datetime with 3 digit microsecond precision.
@@ -341,14 +344,15 @@ def __init__(self, uri):
         # note: urlparse does not recognize scheme in uri of form scheme:val
         tmp = uri.split(':', 1)
 
+        # TODO change this raise a ValueError when the rule is being enforced
         if len(tmp) < 2:
-            raise ValueError(
-                ("A checksum scheme noting the algorithm is "
-                 "required.. received: {}")
-                .format(uri))
-
-        algorithm = tmp[0]
-        checksum = tmp[1]
+            logger.warn(("A checksum scheme noting the algorithm is "
+                         "required.. received: {}").format(uri))
+            algorithm = None
+            checksum = tmp[0]
+        else:
+            algorithm = tmp[0]
+            checksum = tmp[1]
 
         if checksum is None:
             raise ValueError(
diff --git a/caom2/caom2/tests/test_artifact.py b/caom2/caom2/tests/test_artifact.py
index 345f9ec4..c113f7fd 100644
--- a/caom2/caom2/tests/test_artifact.py
+++ b/caom2/caom2/tests/test_artifact.py
@@ -181,5 +181,7 @@ def test_all(self):
                 artifact.ReleaseType('META'),
                 artifact.ProductType('THUMBNAIL'))
 
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            test_artifact.content_checksum = common.ChecksumURI('0x1234')
+        # TODO re-enable when check enforced
+        # with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+        test_artifact.content_checksum = common.ChecksumURI('0x1234')
+        assert test_artifact.content_checksum.uri == '0x1234'