diff --git a/src/main/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClient.java b/src/main/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClient.java
index 0ffed969..a582bf77 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClient.java
@@ -1370,6 +1370,10 @@ public boolean shutdown(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) {
    * normally utilized through higher-level methods but can also be used
    * directly.
    *
+   * If persist is null, it will default to PersistTo.ZERO and if replicate is
+   * null, it will default to ReplicateTo.ZERO. This is the default behavior
+   * and is the same as not observing at all.
+   *
    * @param key the key to observe.
    * @param cas the CAS value for the key.
    * @param persist the persistence settings.
@@ -1379,6 +1383,12 @@ public boolean shutdown(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) {
   public void observePoll(String key, long cas, PersistTo persist,
       ReplicateTo replicate, boolean isDelete) {
     boolean persistMaster = false;
+    if(persist == null) {
+      persist = PersistTo.ZERO;
+    }
+    if(replicate == null) {
+      replicate = ReplicateTo.ZERO;
+    }
     int persistReplica = persist.getValue();
     int replicateTo = replicate.getValue();
     int obsPolls = 0;
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClientTest.java b/src/test/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClientTest.java
index 441ad35f..a8f6f340 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClientTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/couchbase/client/CouchbaseClientTest.java
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 import net.spy.memcached.internal.OperationFuture;
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+
 /**
  * A CouchbaseClientTest.
  */
@@ -219,6 +221,30 @@ public void testStatsKey() throws Exception {
     assertFalse(future.getStatus().isSuccess());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Tests if passing NULL for ReplicateTo and/or
+   * PersistTo correctly works and does not throw
+   * an exception.
+   */
+  public void testNullObserve() throws Exception {
+    boolean success;
+    try {
+      success = true;
+      OperationFuture<Boolean> nullcheckOp =
+        (((CouchbaseClient)client).add("nullcheck", 0, "value", null, null));
+      nullcheckOp.get();
+      nullcheckOp =
+        (((CouchbaseClient)client).set("nullcheck", 0, "value1", null, null));
+      nullcheckOp.get();
+      nullcheckOp =
+        (((CouchbaseClient)client).replace("nullcheck", 0, "value1", null, null));
+      nullcheckOp.get();
+    } catch(NullPointerException ex) {
+      success = false;
+    }
+    assertTrue(success);
+  }
+
   public void testGetStatsSlabs() throws Exception {
     // Empty
   }