diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/usatiuk/dhfs/storage/objects/repository/distributed/ObjectMetadata.java b/server/src/main/java/com/usatiuk/dhfs/storage/objects/repository/distributed/ObjectMetadata.java
index 33fb02e0..347dff1d 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/usatiuk/dhfs/storage/objects/repository/distributed/ObjectMetadata.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/usatiuk/dhfs/storage/objects/repository/distributed/ObjectMetadata.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public class ObjectMetadata implements Serializable {
 
     @Getter
     @Setter
-    private Set<String> _savedRefs = Collections.emptySet();
+    private Set<String> _savedRefs = null;
 
     @Getter
     private long _refcount = 0L;