diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/HibernateDBConnection.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/HibernateDBConnection.java
index 7dae4a9d9812..f57ceb474e39 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/HibernateDBConnection.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/HibernateDBConnection.java
@@ -301,7 +301,13 @@ public <E extends ReloadableEntity> void uncacheEntity(E entity) throws SQLExcep
             } else if (entity instanceof Bundle) {
                 Bundle bundle = (Bundle) entity;
 
-                if (Hibernate.isInitialized(bundle.getBitstreams())) {
+                // Bundle.getBitstreams() creates a defensive copy via new ArrayList<>(bitstreams)
+                // which iterates the Hibernate proxy, triggering lazy loading unconditionally.
+                // Unlike Item.getBundles() which returns the raw proxy, we cannot safely call
+                // getBitstreams() when the bundle is detached from the session.
+                // Guard with session.contains(): if the bundle is still managed,
+                // lazy loading will work; if detached (e.g. after session.clear()), we skip.
+                if (getSession().contains(bundle)) {
                     for (Bitstream bitstream : Utils.emptyIfNull(bundle.getBitstreams())) {
                         uncacheEntity(bitstream);
                     }
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowCurationIT.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowCurationIT.java
index 66dd2cee807f..8a07aaf7141f 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowCurationIT.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowCurationIT.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import org.dspace.content.Community;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataValue;
 import org.dspace.content.service.ItemService;
+import org.dspace.core.LegacyPluginServiceImpl;
 import org.dspace.ctask.testing.MarkerTask;
 import org.dspace.eperson.EPerson;
 import org.dspace.util.DSpaceConfigurationInitializer;
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 import org.dspace.xmlworkflow.storedcomponents.XmlWorkflowItem;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringRunner;
 
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ public class WorkflowCurationIT
         extends AbstractIntegrationTestWithDatabase {
     @Inject
     private ItemService itemService;
+    @Autowired
+    private LegacyPluginServiceImpl legacyPluginService;
 
     /**
      * Basic smoke test of a curation task attached to a workflow step.
@@ -57,6 +61,11 @@ public void curationTest()
             throws Exception {
         context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
 
+        // Reset the named plugin cache to avoid pollution from other tests
+        // (e.g. CreateMissingIdentifiersIT) that may have run before this one.
+        // See https://github.com/DSpace/DSpace/issues/8533
+        legacyPluginService.clearNamedPluginClasses();
+
         //** GIVEN **
 
         // A submitter;