diff --git a/src/main/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMap.java b/src/main/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMap.java
index ce4ec6d..11c0142 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMap.java
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ private static final Object putIfMatch( final NonBlockingHashMap topmap, final O
           (expVal != MATCH_ANY || V == TOMBSTONE || V == null) &&
           !(V==null && expVal == TOMBSTONE) &&    // Match on null/TOMBSTONE combo
           (expVal == null || !expVal.equals(V)) ) // Expensive equals check at the last
-        return V;                                 // Do not update!
+        return (V==null && expVal!=null) ? TOMBSTONE : V; // Do not update!
 
       // Actually change the Value in the Key,Value pair
       if( CAS_val(kvs, idx, V, putval ) ) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMapTest.java b/src/test/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMapTest.java
index 045b62a..97c4b88 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMapTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/cliffc/high_scale_lib/NonBlockingHashMapTest.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ public boolean equals( Object o ) {
   // Test some basic stuff; add a few keys, remove a few keys
   public void testBasic() {
     assertTrue ( _nbhm.isEmpty() );
+    assertThat ( _nbhm.replace("k0","v0"), nullValue() );
     assertThat ( _nbhm.putIfAbsent("k1","v1"), nullValue() );
     checkSizes (1);
     assertThat ( _nbhm.putIfAbsent("k2","v2"), nullValue() );