adding parent terms

When using exif data with hierarchy, the exif module creates parent terms and ads the structure of the exif data into the term_hierarchy table.
This can be good, but it can also be unwanted as it is in my case.
In my workflow I don't want the hierarchical structure of my local workflow exported to the online structure.
Is there a way to make exif module ignore the structure? thanks.

edit: I was wrong. Exif module is not creating the structure in the term_hierarchy table.