Import/Export Nintex Workflow - Maintain metadata?

I've encountered an issue with Nintex Workflow and how it maintains a "reference" to SP lists and fields metadata, in which the Nintex workflow continues to reference back to the original SP metadata details, versus most recent.

Here's the summary of steps I followed [in our SP TEST environment]:

1. Create a list called "Requests"
2. Create a field in Request list named 'Region Meta' {ItemProperty:Region_x0020_x002d_x0020_Meta]
3. Later renamed field to just 'Region'
4. Built Nintex workflow on list and noticed that within Nintex it still "refers" to field as 'Region Meta'  {ItemProperty:Region_x0020_x002d_x0020_Meta}

Now, I'm trying to export the workflow from our SP TEST to our SP PROD environment:

1. Build list called "Requests" in SP PROD
2. Create a field name 'Region" in SP PROD
3. Import workflow from SP TEST to SP PROD
4. Save Workflow & receive error message
1. I noticed that actions within my workflow have the Item Property still referencing "Region Meta"

I don't think I should have to revert all my workflow back to the SP meta original naming convention.  How can this be avoided? Are there steps or processes that I should follow for importing / export Nintex workflow from one SP envionment to another.