diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/LocalRegionFactoryBean.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/LocalRegionFactoryBean.java
index 0b521a3a..5d6f4d0b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/LocalRegionFactoryBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/LocalRegionFactoryBean.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.gemfire;
 
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+
 import com.gemstone.gemfire.cache.DataPolicy;
 import com.gemstone.gemfire.cache.RegionFactory;
 import com.gemstone.gemfire.cache.Scope;
@@ -29,11 +31,6 @@ public class LocalRegionFactoryBean<K, V> extends RegionFactoryBean<K, V> {
 		throw new UnsupportedOperationException("setScope() is not allowed for Local Regions");
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void setPersistent(boolean persistent) {
-		throw new UnsupportedOperationException("setPersistent() is not allowed for Local Regions");
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
 		super.setScope(Scope.LOCAL);
@@ -51,6 +48,7 @@ public class LocalRegionFactoryBean<K, V> extends RegionFactoryBean<K, V> {
 				regionFactory.setDataPolicy(DataPolicy.PRELOADED);
 			}
 			else if ("EMPTY".equals(dataPolicy)) {
+				Assert.isTrue(persistent == null || !persistent, "Cannot have persistence on an empty region");
 				regionFactory.setDataPolicy(DataPolicy.EMPTY);
 			}
 			else {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/LocalRegionNamespaceTest.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/LocalRegionNamespaceTest.java
index ad17c7ec..930211bd 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/LocalRegionNamespaceTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/LocalRegionNamespaceTest.java
@@ -109,4 +109,12 @@ public class LocalRegionNamespaceTest {
 		assertEquals("existing", TestUtils.readField("name", lfb));
 		assertEquals(existing, context.getBean("lookup"));
 	}
+	
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
+	@Test
+	public void testLocalPersistent() {
+		Region region = context.getBean("persistent", Region.class);
+		RegionAttributes attrs = region.getAttributes();
+		assertTrue(attrs.getDataPolicy().withPersistence());
+	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/local-ns.xml b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/local-ns.xml
index 28d94c40..5139565b 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/local-ns.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/local-ns.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 	
 	<gfe:local-region id="pub" name="publisher"/>
 	
+	<gfe:local-region id="persistent" persistent="true"/>
+	
 	<gfe:local-region id="complex" close="true" destroy="false">
         <gfe:cache-listener>
             <ref bean="c-listener"/>