Christian Beikov ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/secure/ViewProfile.jspa?accountId=557058%... ) *closed* an issue as *Won't Do* You will have to use a foreign key on the database that uses `on delete set null`. If you don't want that or can't use that, you can use `@NotFound(IGNORE)` on the association to tell Hibernate to ignore the FK value if no target row can be found. Hibernate ORM ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH?atlOrigin=eyJpIjoiOWU2OTJjNTI2... ) / Bug ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-1623?atlOrigin=eyJpIjoiOWU2OTJ... ) HHH-1623 ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-1623?atlOrigin=eyJpIjoiOWU2OTJ... ) Delete of an object involved in a one-to-one relationship. ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-1623?atlOrigin=eyJpIjoiOWU2OTJ... ) Change By: Christian Beikov ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/secure/ViewProfile.jspa?accountId=557058%... ) Resolution: Won't Do Status: Open Closed ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-1623#add-comment?atlOrigin=eyJ... ) Add Comment ( https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-1623#add-comment?atlOrigin=eyJ... ) Get Jira notifications on your phone! Download the Jira Cloud app for Android ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlassian.android.jira.... ) or iOS ( https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1006972087?pt=696495&ct=Em... ) This message was sent by Atlassian Jira (v1001.0.0-SNAPSHOT#100210- sha1:cad9577 )