diff --git a/scrunch/tests/test_datasets.py b/scrunch/tests/test_datasets.py
index 63782aa..f4dcc0b 100644
--- a/scrunch/tests/test_datasets.py
+++ b/scrunch/tests/test_datasets.py
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ def test_create_numeric(self, mocked_process):
                 'body': {
                     'alias': 'monthly_rent',
                     'name': 'Monthly rent',
+                    "derived": False,
                     'derivation': {
                         'function': '/',
                         'args': [
@@ -398,7 +399,8 @@ def test_rollup(self, mocked_process):
                 'body': {
                     'alias': 'new_rolledup_var',
                     'name': 'new_rolledup_var',
-                    'expr': {
+                    "derived": False,
+                    'derivation': {
                         'function': 'rollup',
                         'args': [
                             {'variable': 'https://test.crunch.io/api/datasets/123456/variables/001/'},
@@ -1483,7 +1485,7 @@ def getitem(key):
         assert not var_tuple.entity.edit.called
 
         # check we call `edit` for derived variables
-        body['derived'] = True
+        body["derived"] = True
         var.integrate()
         var_tuple.entity.edit.assert_called_once_with(derived=False)
 
@@ -2150,6 +2152,7 @@ def test_recode_w_fill(self):
             "element": "shoji:entity",
             "body": {
                 "alias": "filled",
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": fill_expr,
                 "name": "Filled var",
                 "description": ""
@@ -2208,6 +2211,7 @@ def test_else_code(self):
             "element": "shoji:entity",
             "body": {
                 "alias": "filled",
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": fill_expr,
                 "name": "Filled var",
                 "description": ""
@@ -2266,6 +2270,7 @@ def test_else_var(self):
             "element": "shoji:entity",
             "body": {
                 "alias": "filled",
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": fill_expr,
                 "name": "Filled var",
                 "description": ""
@@ -2332,7 +2337,8 @@ def test_recode_single_categorical(self):
                 'notes': '',
                 'alias': 'cat',
                 'name': 'My cat',
-                'expr': {
+                "derived": False,
+                'derivation': {
                     'function': 'case',
                     'args': [{
                         'column': [1, 2, 3, -1],
@@ -2452,6 +2458,7 @@ def test_recode_multiple_response(self):
                 'description': '',
                 'notes': '',
                 'name': 'my mr',
+                "derived": False,
                 'derivation': {
                     'function': 'array',
                     'args': [{
@@ -2625,7 +2632,8 @@ def test_create_categorical_else_case(self):
             "body": {
                 "alias": "agerange",
                 "name": "Age Range",
-                "expr": {
+                "derived": False,
+                "derivation": {
                     "function": "case",
                     "args": [
                         {
@@ -2777,12 +2785,13 @@ def test_create_2_multiple_response_else_case(self):
             }
         }
         ds.resource.variables.create.assert_called_with({
-           "element": "shoji:entity",
+            "element": "shoji:entity",
             "body": {
                 "name": "Age range multi",
                 "alias": "agerange_multi",
                 "description": "",
                 "notes": "",
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": {
                     "function": "array",
                     "args": [
@@ -2970,6 +2979,7 @@ def test_create_3_multiple_response_else_case(self):
                 "description": "",
                 "notes": "",
                 "uniform_basis": False,
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": {
                     "function": "array",
                     "args": [
@@ -3351,6 +3361,7 @@ def test_create_categorical_missing_case(self):
                 "description": "",
                 "notes": "",
                 "uniform_basis": False,
+                "derived": False,
                 "derivation": {
                     "function": "array",
                     "args": [
@@ -3595,6 +3606,7 @@ def test_derive_multiple_response(self):
                 'description': '',
                 'notes': '',
                 'uniform_basis': False,
+                "derived": False,
                 'derivation': {
                     'function': 'array',
                     'args': [{
@@ -3691,7 +3703,7 @@ def test_base_variable(self):
         var_res.entity.body = {'type': 'numeric'}
 
         def getitem(key):
-            if key == 'derived':
+            if key == "derived":
                 return False
         var_res.__getitem__.side_effect = getitem
         var_res.entity.self = '/variable/url/'
@@ -3703,6 +3715,7 @@ def getitem(key):
             'body': {
                 'alias': 'copy',
                 'name': 'copy',
+                "derived": False,
                 'derivation': {
                     'function': 'copy_variable',
                     'args': [{'variable': '/variable/url/'}]
@@ -3715,7 +3728,7 @@ def test_derived_variable(self):
         var_res = mock.MagicMock()
 
         def getitem(key):
-            if key == 'derived':
+            if key == "derived":
                 return True
         var_res.__getitem__.side_effect = getitem
         var_res.entity.body = {
@@ -3745,6 +3758,7 @@ def getitem(key):
             'body': {
                 'alias': 'copy',
                 'name': 'copy',
+                "derived": False,
                 'derivation': {
                     'function': 'array',
                     'args': [{
@@ -6694,7 +6708,7 @@ class TestHeadingSubtotals(TestDatasetBase):
             'categories': TEST_CATEGORIES(),
             'is_subvar': False,
             'view': {},
-            'derived': False,
+            "derived": False,
         },
     }
 
diff --git a/scrunch/tests/test_recodes.py b/scrunch/tests/test_recodes.py
index e1189d9..acf3ce9 100644
--- a/scrunch/tests/test_recodes.py
+++ b/scrunch/tests/test_recodes.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ def mr_in(mr_self, mr_alias, groups, parent_subvariables):
     'element': 'shoji:entity',
     'body': {
         'alias': 'alias',
+        "derived": False,
         'derivation': {
             'function': 'combine_categories',
             'args': [
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ def mr_in(mr_self, mr_alias, groups, parent_subvariables):
         'name': 'name',
         'description': '',
         'alias': 'alias',
+        "derived": False,
         'derivation': {
             'function': 'combine_responses',
             'args': [
@@ -351,7 +353,8 @@ def test_recode_categoricals(self, get_dataset_mock):
                 'alias': 'sexuality2',
                 'description': '',
                 'notes': '',
-                'expr': {
+                "derived": False,
+                'derivation': {
                     'function': 'case',
                     'args': [{
                         'column': [1, 2, -1],
@@ -491,6 +494,7 @@ def test_recode_multiple_responses(self, get_dataset_mock):
                 'description': '',
                 'notes': '',
                 'alias': 'Q1_recoded',
+                "derived": False,
                 'derivation': {
                     'function': 'array',
                     'args': [{