diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/persist/ExeUpdateSql.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/persist/ExeUpdateSql.java
index 51fc4a35e..7e265033a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/persist/ExeUpdateSql.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/persist/ExeUpdateSql.java
@@ -143,17 +143,26 @@ public class ExeUpdateSql {
       }
     }
 
-    String firstWord = sql.substring(0, pos[0]);
-    String secWord = sql.substring(pos[0] + 1, pos[1]);
-    String thirdWord;
-    if (pos[2] == 0) {
-      // there is nothing after the table name
-      thirdWord = sql.substring(pos[1] + 1);
-    } else {
-      thirdWord = sql.substring(pos[1] + 1, pos[2]);
-    }
+    if (spaceCount < 2) {
+      // unknown so no automatic L2 cache invalidation performed (so it should instead)
+      // be done explicitly via the server.externalModification() method
+      request.setType(SqlType.SQL_UNKNOWN, null, "UnknownSql");
 
-    determineType(firstWord, secWord, thirdWord, request);
+    } else {
+      // try to determine if it is insert, update or delete and the table involved
+      // such that we can automatically manage L2 cache
+      String firstWord = sql.substring(0, pos[0]);
+      String secWord = sql.substring(pos[0] + 1, pos[1]);
+      String thirdWord;
+      if (pos[2] == 0) {
+        // there is nothing after the table name
+        thirdWord = sql.substring(pos[1] + 1);
+      } else {
+        thirdWord = sql.substring(pos[1] + 1, pos[2]);
+      }
+
+      determineType(firstWord, secWord, thirdWord, request);
+    }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/tests/update/TestSqlUpdateInTxn.java b/src/test/java/org/tests/update/TestSqlUpdateInTxn.java
index 017ea8b2e..3ede3004d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/tests/update/TestSqlUpdateInTxn.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/tests/update/TestSqlUpdateInTxn.java
@@ -20,6 +20,21 @@ public class TestSqlUpdateInTxn extends BaseTestCase {
     assertThat(sqlUpdate.getSql()).isEqualTo(sql.trim());
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void test_twoWordSql() {
+
+    if (isH2()) {
+      // 2 word syntax ... means no automatic determination of the type of change
+      // and table effected (so no automatic L2 cache invalidation)
+      String sql = "CHECKPOINT SYNC";
+
+      SqlUpdate sqlUpdate = Ebean.createSqlUpdate(sql);
+      sqlUpdate.execute();
+
+      assertThat(sqlUpdate.getSql()).isEqualTo(sql.trim());
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testSqlUpdateWithWhitespace() {