diff --git a/src/eko/io/struct.py b/src/eko/io/struct.py
index a4a346d4c..105ecb273 100644
--- a/src/eko/io/struct.py
+++ b/src/eko/io/struct.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import yaml
 
 from .. import interpolation
-from . import exceptions, raw
+from . import exceptions, raw, v1
 from .access import AccessConfigs
 from .inventory import Inventory
 from .items import Evolution, Matching, Operator, Recipe, Target
@@ -132,16 +132,20 @@ def evolgrid(self) -> List[EPoint]:
     @property
     def theory_card(self):
         """Provide theory card, retrieving from the dump."""
-        return TheoryCard.from_dict(
-            yaml.safe_load(self.paths.theory_card.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
-        )
+        raw_th = yaml.safe_load(self.paths.theory_card.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        if self.metadata.data_version in [1, 2]:
+            raw_th = v1.update_theory(raw_th)
+        return TheoryCard.from_dict(raw_th)
 
     @property
     def operator_card(self):
         """Provide operator card, retrieving from the dump."""
-        return OperatorCard.from_dict(
-            yaml.safe_load(self.paths.operator_card.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
-        )
+        raw_op = yaml.safe_load(self.paths.operator_card.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        if self.metadata.data_version in [1, 2]:
+            # here we need to read also the theory card
+            raw_th = yaml.safe_load(self.paths.theory_card.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            raw_op = v1.update_operator(raw_op, raw_th)
+        return OperatorCard.from_dict(raw_op)
 
     # persistency control
     # -------------------
diff --git a/src/eko/io/v1.py b/src/eko/io/v1.py
index 4bba1501d..9545cfecc 100644
--- a/src/eko/io/v1.py
+++ b/src/eko/io/v1.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from .paths import InternalPaths
 
 
-def update_metadata(paths: InternalPaths, raw: dict) -> dict:
+def update_metadata(_paths: InternalPaths, raw: dict) -> dict:
     """Modify the raw metadata to the new format.
 
     Parameters
@@ -22,4 +22,52 @@ def update_metadata(paths: InternalPaths, raw: dict) -> dict:
     dict
         compatible raw yaml content
     """
+    raw["data_version"] = 1
+    raw["xgrid"] = raw["bases"]["xgrid"]
+    del raw["bases"]
     return raw
+
+
+def update_theory(raw: dict) -> dict:
+    """Modify the raw theory card to the new format.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    raw:
+        raw yaml content
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    dict
+        compatible raw yaml content
+    """
+    raw["couplings"]["ref"] = (
+        raw["couplings"]["scale"],
+        raw["couplings"]["num_flavs_ref"],
+    )
+    # adjust couplings
+    for key in ["num_flavs_ref", "max_num_flavs", "scale"]:
+        del raw["couplings"][key]
+    # adjust heavy
+    for key in ["intrinsic_flavors", "num_flavs_init", "num_flavs_max_pdf"]:
+        del raw["heavy"][key]
+    return raw
+
+
+def update_operator(raw_op: dict, raw_th) -> dict:
+    """Modify the raw operator card to the new format.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    raw_op:
+        raw operator yaml content
+    raw_th:
+        raw theory yaml content
+    Returns
+    -------
+    dict
+        compatible raw yaml content
+    """
+    raw_op["init"] = (raw_op["mu0"], raw_th["heavy"]["num_flavs_init"])
+    del raw_op["mu0"]
+    return raw_op