diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_mesh_legacy_convert.hh b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_mesh_legacy_convert.hh
index fdb1584e374..e8f444986cf 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_mesh_legacy_convert.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_mesh_legacy_convert.hh
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void BKE_mesh_calc_edges_legacy(Mesh *mesh);
 
 void BKE_mesh_do_versions_cd_flag_init(Mesh *mesh);
 
-void BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(Main &bmain);
+void BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(Main &bmain, bool new_ids_only = false);
 
 /**
  * Calculate/create edges from tessface data
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile_link_append.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile_link_append.cc
index 33025afb757..56fdf64ca79 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile_link_append.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile_link_append.cc
@@ -1375,10 +1375,10 @@ void BKE_blendfile_append(BlendfileLinkAppendContext *lapp_context, ReportList *
   instantiate_context.active_collection = nullptr;
   loose_data_instantiate(&instantiate_context);
 
+  BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(*bmain, true);
   BKE_main_id_newptr_and_tag_clear(bmain);
 
   blendfile_link_append_proxies_convert(bmain, reports);
-  BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(*bmain);
 }
 
 void BKE_blendfile_link(BlendfileLinkAppendContext *lapp_context, ReportList *reports)
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/mesh_legacy_convert.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/mesh_legacy_convert.cc
index 596745e6359..5d933f2c35b 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/mesh_legacy_convert.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/mesh_legacy_convert.cc
@@ -2263,7 +2263,7 @@ static ModifierData *create_auto_smooth_modifier(Object &object,
 
 }  // namespace blender::bke
 
-void BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(Main &bmain)
+void BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(Main &bmain, const bool new_ids_only)
 {
   using namespace blender::bke;
 
@@ -2279,6 +2279,9 @@ void BKE_main_mesh_legacy_convert_auto_smooth(Main &bmain)
     if (object->type != OB_MESH) {
       continue;
     }
+    if (new_ids_only && (object->id.tag & LIB_TAG_NEW) == 0) {
+      continue;
+    }
     Mesh *mesh = static_cast<Mesh *>(object->data);
     const float angle = mesh->smoothresh_legacy;
     if (!(mesh->flag & ME_AUTOSMOOTH_LEGACY)) {