diff --git a/odm_sdk/files_util.py b/odm_sdk/files_util.py
index 8782c7d2..7b9a4f0a 100644
--- a/odm_sdk/files_util.py
+++ b/odm_sdk/files_util.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class FilesUtil(Application):
     ALIGNED_READS = 'com.genestack.bio.files.IAlignedReads'
     VARIATION_FILE = 'com.genestack.bio.files.IVariationFile'
     APPLICATION_PAGE_FILE = 'com.genestack.api.files.IApplicationPageFile'
+    DICTIONARY_FILE = 'com.genestack.api.files.IDictionaryFile'
     REFERENCE_GENOME = 'com.genestack.bio.files.IReferenceGenome'
     AUXILIARY_FILE = 'com.genestack.api.files.IAuxiliaryFile'
     INDEX_FILE = 'com.genestack.api.files.IIndexFile'
@@ -366,7 +367,33 @@ def load_info(self, accessions):
         """
         return self.invoke('loadInfo', accessions)
 
-    def search_files(self, accession):
-        return self.invoke('searchFiles',
-                           accession,  # type: str
-                           {}, [], 100, 0, None, False)
+    def search_files(self, search_string, parameters=None, data_types=None,
+                     max_on_page=100, page_num=0, sort_order=None, ascending=False):
+        """
+        Search for files.
+
+        :param search_string: search string (e.g. accession)
+        :type search_string: str
+        :param parameters: dictionary of search parameters
+        :type parameters: dict[str, str]
+        :param data_types: list of Java class names for file types
+        :type data_types: list[str]
+        :param max_on_page: maximum number of results per page
+        :param page_num: page number
+        :param sort_order: sort order (see SortOrder class)
+        :param ascending: sort direction
+        :return: list of file infos
+        """
+        parameters = parameters or {}
+        data_types = data_types or []
+
+        return self.invoke(
+            'searchFiles',
+            search_string,  # type: str
+            parameters,     # type: dict
+            data_types,     # type: list
+            max_on_page,    # type: int
+            page_num,       # type: int
+            sort_order,     # type: str
+            ascending       # type: bool
+        )
diff --git a/odm_sdk/scripts/dictionaries/load_init_share_dictionaries.py b/odm_sdk/scripts/dictionaries/load_init_share_dictionaries.py
index 36b01174..4a0acdfa 100644
--- a/odm_sdk/scripts/dictionaries/load_init_share_dictionaries.py
+++ b/odm_sdk/scripts/dictionaries/load_init_share_dictionaries.py
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@
 from odm_sdk.scripts.utils import colored, GREEN, BLUE, RED
 
 
-def load_dictionary(connection, data, parent_dictionary=None, replace=True,
-                    reuse_old_version=False, metainfo=None):
+def load_dictionary(connection, data, parent_dictionary=None, replace=False, metainfo=None):
 
     if metainfo:
         metainfo.add_string(Metainfo.DESCRIPTION, data.get('description'))
@@ -32,29 +31,32 @@ def load_dictionary(connection, data, parent_dictionary=None, replace=True,
     term_type = data.get('term_type')
 
     fu = FilesUtil(connection)
-    parent = fu.get_folder(
-        fu.get_special_folder(SpecialFolders.CREATED),
-        'Data samples',
-        'Dictionaries',
-        create=True)
-
     di = DataImporter(connection)
-    old_dictionary_version = fu.find_file_by_name(name, parent=parent)
-    if old_dictionary_version:
+
+    search_dictionaries = fu.search_files(
+        search_string=name,
+        parameters={'type': FilesUtil.DICTIONARY_FILE, 'name': name, 'obsolete': 'false'})
+    if search_dictionaries['count'] > 0:
         if replace:
-            print('Old version of dictionary %s / %s is removed'
-                  % (colored(old_dictionary_version, GREEN), colored(name, BLUE)))
-            fu.mark_obsolete(old_dictionary_version)
-            fu.unlink_file(old_dictionary_version, parent)
+            # Mark all existing dictionaries as obsolete
+            for dictionary_file in search_dictionaries['files']:
+                accession = dictionary_file['accessions'][0]
+                fu.mark_obsolete(accession)
+                print('Old version of dictionary %s / %s is marked as obsolete'
+                      % (colored(accession, GREEN), colored(name, BLUE)))
         else:
-            if reuse_old_version:
-                print('Dictionary %s / %s already exists and will be reused'
-                      % (colored(old_dictionary_version, GREEN), colored(name, BLUE)))
-                return old_dictionary_version
+            existing_accessions = []
+            for dictionary_file in search_dictionaries['files']:
+                existing_accessions.extend(dictionary_file['accessions'])
             raise GenestackException(
-                "Dictionary %s / %s already exists, set replace=True to replace it"
-                % (colored(old_dictionary_version, GREEN), colored(name, BLUE)))
+                "Dictionary %s already exists with accessions: %s. Use --replace flag to overwrite it"
+                % (colored(name, BLUE), ', '.join([colored(acc, GREEN) for acc in existing_accessions])))
 
+    parent = fu.get_folder(
+        fu.get_special_folder(SpecialFolders.CREATED),
+        'Data samples',
+        'Dictionaries',
+        create=True)
     accession = di.create_dictionary(
         parent=parent,
         name=name,
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ def main():
         connection = get_connection(args)
         with open(args.file_with_dictionaries, 'r') as data_file:
             dictionaries = json.load(data_file)
-        accessions = [load_dictionary(connection, data) for data in dictionaries]
+        accessions = [load_dictionary(connection, data, replace=args.replace) for data in dictionaries]
         initialization(connection, accessions)
         sharing(connection, accessions)
 
@@ -117,6 +119,8 @@ def get_arguments():
     group.add_argument('--file_with_dictionaries', metavar='<file_with_dictionaries>',
                        default="dictionaries.json",
                        help='dictionaries to load', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--replace', action='store_true', default=False,
+                        help='replace existing dictionaries')
     args = parser.parse_args()
     return args