diff --git a/geonode/geoserver/helpers.py b/geonode/geoserver/helpers.py
index d27ca3e5f32..ba235b0dce6 100755
--- a/geonode/geoserver/helpers.py
+++ b/geonode/geoserver/helpers.py
@@ -407,17 +407,12 @@ def set_dataset_style(saved_dataset, title, sld, base_file=None):
         except Exception as e:
             logger.exception(e)
     else:
-        style = gs_catalog.get_style(saved_dataset.name, workspace=saved_dataset.workspace) or \
-            gs_catalog.get_style(saved_dataset.name)
         try:
-            if not style:
-                style = gs_catalog.create_style(
-                    saved_dataset.name, sld,
-                    overwrite=True, raw=True,
-                    workspace=saved_dataset.workspace)
-            elif sld:
-                style.style_format = _extract_style_version_from_sld(sld)
-                style.update_body(sld)
+            _sld_format = _extract_style_version_from_sld(sld)
+            style = gs_catalog.create_style(
+                saved_dataset.name, sld,
+                overwrite=True, raw=True, style_format=_sld_format,
+                workspace=saved_dataset.workspace)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.exception(e)
 
diff --git a/geonode/geoserver/tasks.py b/geonode/geoserver/tasks.py
index a0c8b8f7c9f..f109002a04d 100644
--- a/geonode/geoserver/tasks.py
+++ b/geonode/geoserver/tasks.py
@@ -114,12 +114,19 @@ def geoserver_set_style(
         if lock.acquire() is True:
             log_lock.debug(f"geoserver_set_style: Acquired lock {lock_id} for {instance.name}")
             try:
-                sld = open(base_file, "rb").read()
+                sld = None
+                if os.path.exists(base_file):
+                    sld = open(base_file, "rb").read()
+                else:
+                    sld = base_file
+                    base_file = None
+
                 set_dataset_style(
                     instance,
                     instance.alternate,
                     sld,
                     base_file=base_file)
+
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.exception(e)
             finally:
diff --git a/geonode/geoserver/tests/test_tasks.py b/geonode/geoserver/tests/test_tasks.py
index 9b84df07798..a091a541328 100644
--- a/geonode/geoserver/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/geonode/geoserver/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from unittest.mock import create_autospec, patch
 
 from geonode.base.populate_test_data import all_public, create_models, remove_models
-from geonode.geoserver.tasks import geoserver_create_style
+from geonode.geoserver.tasks import geoserver_create_style, geoserver_set_style
 from geonode.geoserver.signals import geoserver_automatic_default_style_set
 from geonode.layers.models import Dataset
 from geonode.layers.populate_datasets_data import create_dataset_data
@@ -54,3 +54,40 @@ def test_geoserver_style_visual_mode_automatically_without_sld_file(self):
         geoserver_automatic_default_style_set.connect(handler)
         geoserver_create_style(dataset.id, dataset.name, sld_file=None, tempdir=None)
         handler.assert_called_once_with(signal=geoserver_automatic_default_style_set, sender=dataset, instance=dataset)
+
+    @patch("geonode.geoserver.tasks.set_dataset_style")
+    def test_geoserver_set_style_with_real_file(self, mocked_set_dataset_style):
+        dataset = Dataset.objects.first()
+        sld_file = "geonode/base/fixtures/test_sld.sld"
+        geoserver_set_style(
+            instance_id=dataset.id,
+            base_file=sld_file
+        )
+        mocked_set_dataset_style.assert_called_once()
+
+        args_list = mocked_set_dataset_style.call_args_list[0].args
+        kwargs_list = mocked_set_dataset_style.call_args_list[0].kwargs
+        self.assertEqual(args_list[0].id, dataset.id)
+        self.assertEqual(args_list[1], dataset.alternate)
+        self.assertIsInstance(args_list[2], bytes)
+
+        self.assertDictEqual({"base_file": sld_file}, kwargs_list)
+
+    @patch("geonode.geoserver.tasks.set_dataset_style")
+    def test_geoserver_set_style_with_xml(self, mocked_set_dataset_style):
+        dataset = Dataset.objects.first()
+
+        with open("geonode/base/fixtures/test_sld.sld", 'r+') as _file:
+            geoserver_set_style(
+                instance_id=dataset.id,
+                base_file=_file.read()
+            )
+        mocked_set_dataset_style.assert_called_once()
+
+        args_list = mocked_set_dataset_style.call_args_list[0].args
+        kwargs_list = mocked_set_dataset_style.call_args_list[0].kwargs
+        self.assertEqual(args_list[0].id, dataset.id)
+        self.assertEqual(args_list[1], dataset.alternate)
+        self.assertIsInstance(args_list[2], str)
+
+        self.assertDictEqual({"base_file": None}, kwargs_list)