diff --git a/src/assets/wise5/services/teacherProjectService.ts b/src/assets/wise5/services/teacherProjectService.ts
index 88a25c7facf..d70c96a2a8d 100644
--- a/src/assets/wise5/services/teacherProjectService.ts
+++ b/src/assets/wise5/services/teacherProjectService.ts
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ export class TeacherProjectService extends ProjectService {
               }
 
               // remove the transition to the node we are removing
-              transitions.splice(t, 1);
+              const transitionRemoved = transitions.splice(t, 1)[0];
 
               if (transitionsCopy != null) {
                 let insertIndex = t;
@@ -1685,6 +1685,9 @@ export class TeacherProjectService extends ProjectService {
                     ) {
                       this.addToTransition(node, this.getGroupStartId(toNodeId));
                     } else {
+                      if (transitionRemoved.criteria != null) {
+                        transitionCopy.criteria = transitionRemoved.criteria;
+                      }
                       transitions.splice(insertIndex, 0, transitionCopy);
                       insertIndex++;
                     }