diff --git a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/adjoint_elements/adjoint_finite_difference_base_element.h b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/adjoint_elements/adjoint_finite_difference_base_element.h
index 83b7b9c64860..7f1d3c4da084 100644
--- a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/adjoint_elements/adjoint_finite_difference_base_element.h
+++ b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/adjoint_elements/adjoint_finite_difference_base_element.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ class AdjointFiniteDifferencingBaseElement : public Element
     {
         mpPrimalElement->CalculateLeftHandSide(rLeftHandSideMatrix,
                                                rCurrentProcessInfo);
+        noalias(rLeftHandSideMatrix) = -1.0 * rLeftHandSideMatrix;
     }
 
     void CalculateRightHandSide(VectorType& rRightHandSideVector,
diff --git a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_local_stress_response_function.cpp b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_local_stress_response_function.cpp
index f7f70ce2e61c..ce4429b458a5 100644
--- a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_local_stress_response_function.cpp
+++ b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_local_stress_response_function.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ namespace Kratos
             KRATOS_ERROR_IF(rResponseGradient.size() != rResidualGradient.size1())
                  << "Size of stress displacement derivative does not fit!" << std::endl;
 
-            rResponseGradient *= (-1);
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_max_stress_response_function.cpp b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_max_stress_response_function.cpp
index 1ab7f7076d61..bc69998e7b72 100644
--- a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_max_stress_response_function.cpp
+++ b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_max_stress_response_function.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ namespace Kratos
             KRATOS_ERROR_IF(rResponseGradient.size() != rResidualGradient.size1())
                 << "AdjointMaxStressResponseFunction::CalculateGradient: Size of stress displacement derivative does not fit!" << std::endl;
 
-            rResponseGradient *= (-1);
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_nodal_displacement_response_function.cpp b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_nodal_displacement_response_function.cpp
index 6f39afba242d..3b1c4ed23afd 100644
--- a/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_nodal_displacement_response_function.cpp
+++ b/applications/StructuralMechanicsApplication/custom_response_functions/response_utilities/adjoint_nodal_displacement_response_function.cpp
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ namespace Kratos
                 for(IndexType i = 0; i < dofs_of_element.size(); ++i) {
                     if (dofs_of_element[i]->Id() == node_id &&
                         dofs_of_element[i]->GetVariable() == *adjoint_solution_variable) {
-                        rResponseGradient[i]   = -1 * mResponseDirection[0];
-                        rResponseGradient[i+1] = -1 * mResponseDirection[1];
-                        rResponseGradient[i+2] = -1 * mResponseDirection[2];
+                        rResponseGradient[i]   =  mResponseDirection[0];
+                        rResponseGradient[i+1] =  mResponseDirection[1];
+                        rResponseGradient[i+2] =  mResponseDirection[2];
                         break;
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/applications/SystemIdentificationApplication/python_scripts/responses/damage_detection_response.py b/applications/SystemIdentificationApplication/python_scripts/responses/damage_detection_response.py
index 08cdc92b257a..39612981587c 100644
--- a/applications/SystemIdentificationApplication/python_scripts/responses/damage_detection_response.py
+++ b/applications/SystemIdentificationApplication/python_scripts/responses/damage_detection_response.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def CalculateGradient(self, physical_variable_collective_expressions: 'dict[Supp
                 sensitivity_variable = Kratos.KratosGlobals.GetVariable(f"{physical_variable.Name()}_SENSITIVITY")
                 for container_expression in collective_expression.GetContainerExpressions():
                     sensitivities = self.adjoint_analysis.GetSensitivities(container_expression.GetModelPart())
-                    container_expression.SetExpression((container_expression.GetExpression() - sensitivities[sensitivity_variable].GetExpression() * test_case_weight))
+                    container_expression.SetExpression((container_expression.GetExpression() + sensitivities[sensitivity_variable].GetExpression() * test_case_weight))
                     container_expression.SetExpression(Kratos.Expression.Utils.Collapse(container_expression).GetExpression())
 
     def __GetSensor(self, sensor_name: str) -> KratosDT.Sensors.Sensor: