diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
index 76160262ef4..66401628340 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@ public function save($data = null, $validate = true, $fieldList = array()) {
 		if (empty($this->data[$this->alias][$this->primaryKey])) {
 			unset($this->data[$this->alias][$this->primaryKey]);
 		}
-		$fields = $values = array();
+		$joined = $fields = $values = array();
 
 		foreach ($this->data as $n => $v) {
 			if (isset($this->hasAndBelongsToMany[$n])) {
@@ -1843,24 +1843,26 @@ public function save($data = null, $validate = true, $fieldList = array()) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (!empty($joined) && $success === true) {
-			$this->_saveMulti($joined, $this->id, $db);
-		}
-
-		if ($success && $count === 0) {
-			$success = false;
+		if ($success) {
+			if (!empty($joined)) {
+				$this->_saveMulti($joined, $this->id, $db);
+			} else if ($count === 0) {
+				$success = false;
+			}
 		}
 
-		if ($success && $count > 0) {
-			if (!empty($this->data)) {
-				if ($created) {
-					$this->data[$this->alias][$this->primaryKey] = $this->id;
+		if ($success) {
+			if ($count > 0) {
+				if (!empty($this->data)) {
+					if ($created) {
+						$this->data[$this->alias][$this->primaryKey] = $this->id;
+					}
 				}
-			}
 
-			if ($options['callbacks'] === true || $options['callbacks'] === 'after') {
-				$event = new CakeEvent('Model.afterSave', $this, array($created, $options));
-				$this->getEventManager()->dispatch($event);
+				if ($options['callbacks'] === true || $options['callbacks'] === 'after') {
+					$event = new CakeEvent('Model.afterSave', $this, array($created, $options));
+					$this->getEventManager()->dispatch($event);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!empty($this->data)) {
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
index 6acfd3c5119..cd427a9aa98 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
@@ -1824,7 +1824,9 @@ public function testSaveHabtmNoPrimaryData() {
 
 		$data = array('Item' => array('Item' => array(1, 2)));
 		$TestModel->id = 2;
-		$TestModel->save($data);
+		$result = $TestModel->save($data);
+		$this->assertTrue((bool)$result);
+
 		$result = $TestModel->findById(2);
 		$result['Item'] = Hash::sort($result['Item'], '{n}.id', 'asc');
 		$expected = array(