Just to clarify my last comment. Keep in mind that putFromExternalRead() always results from the following usage pattern: Object state = readFromCache(); if ( state == null ) { state = readFromExternal(); putIntoCache( state ); } ... In Hibernate terms, readFromExternal is causing the data to get read from the database because it was not found in the cache. That db-read data is always the "truth" in a db-driven app... The only way that data should not overwrite the current node data (putIntoCache) is if suddenly there has been a write lock applied to the node between readFromCache() and putIntoCache() being executed (which is the meaning of my "intention lock" comment). View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3977563#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...