diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/PersistRequestBean.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/PersistRequestBean.java
index 078d36d81..b55dbecc2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/PersistRequestBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/PersistRequestBean.java
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
   public boolean isHardDeleteDraft() {
     if (type == Type.DELETE && beanDescriptor.isDraftable() && !beanDescriptor.isDraftableElement()) {
       // deleting a top level draftable bean
-      if (!beanDescriptor.isDraftInstance(entityBean)) {
+      if (beanDescriptor.isLiveInstance(entityBean)) {
         throw new PersistenceException("Explicit Delete is not allowed on a 'live' bean - only draft beans");
       }
       return true;
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
    * Save or Update is not allowed to execute using 'live' beans - must use publish().
    */
   public void checkDraft() {
-    if (beanDescriptor.isDraftable() && !beanDescriptor.isDraftInstance(entityBean)) {
+    if (beanDescriptor.isDraftable() && beanDescriptor.isLiveInstance(entityBean)) {
       throw new PersistenceException("Save or update is not allowed on a 'live' bean - only draft beans");
     }
   }
@@ -754,7 +754,9 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
       intercept.setLoadedProperty(i);
     }
     beanDescriptor.setEmbeddedOwner(entityBean);
-    beanDescriptor.setDraft(entityBean);
+    if (!publish) {
+      beanDescriptor.setDraft(entityBean);
+    }
   }
 
   public boolean isReference() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanDescriptor.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanDescriptor.java
index 13f309a63..fe000ed93 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanDescriptor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanDescriptor.java
@@ -2024,14 +2024,25 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements MetaBeanInfo, SpiBeanType<T> {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Return true if the bean is considered a 'draft' instance.
+   * Return true if the bean is considered a 'draft' instance (not 'live').
    */
   public boolean isDraftInstance(EntityBean entityBean) {
     if (draft != null) {
       return Boolean.TRUE == draft.getValue(entityBean);
     }
-    // no draft property - so just ignore the check / return true
-    return true;
+    // no draft property - so return false
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return true if the bean is draftable and considered a 'live' instance.
+   */
+  public boolean isLiveInstance(EntityBean entityBean) {
+    if (draft != null) {
+      return Boolean.FALSE == draft.getValue(entityBean);
+    }
+    // no draft property - so return false
+    return false;
   }
 
   /**