diff --git a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/PersistentEntityResource.java b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/PersistentEntityResource.java
index 583dff808..4d8fe194b 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/PersistentEntityResource.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/PersistentEntityResource.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public class PersistentEntityResource extends Resource<Object> {
 	private final PersistentEntity<?, ?> entity;
 	private final Iterable<EmbeddedWrapper> embeddeds;
 	private final boolean enforceAssociationLinks;
+	private final boolean isNew;
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link PersistentEntityResource} for the given {@link PersistentEntity}, content, embedded
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ public class PersistentEntityResource extends Resource<Object> {
 	 * @param embeddeds can be {@literal null}.
 	 */
 	private PersistentEntityResource(PersistentEntity<?, ?> entity, Object content, Iterable<Link> links,
-			boolean renderAllAssociations, Iterable<EmbeddedWrapper> embeddeds) {
+			boolean renderAllAssociations, Iterable<EmbeddedWrapper> embeddeds, boolean isNew) {
 
 		super(content, links);
 
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ public class PersistentEntityResource extends Resource<Object> {
 		this.entity = entity;
 		this.embeddeds = embeddeds == null ? NO_EMBEDDEDS : embeddeds;
 		this.enforceAssociationLinks = renderAllAssociations;
+		this.isNew = isNew;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -91,6 +93,16 @@ public class PersistentEntityResource extends Resource<Object> {
 		return embeddeds;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns whether the content of the resource is a new entity about to be created. Used to distinguish between
+	 * creation and updates for incoming requests.
+	 * 
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	public boolean isNew() {
+		return isNew;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link Builder} to create {@link PersistentEntityResource}s eventually.
 	 * 
@@ -174,7 +186,17 @@ public class PersistentEntityResource extends Resource<Object> {
 		 * @return
 		 */
 		public PersistentEntityResource build() {
-			return new PersistentEntityResource(entity, content, links, renderAllAssociationLinks, embeddeds);
+			return new PersistentEntityResource(entity, content, links, renderAllAssociationLinks, embeddeds, false);
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Finally creates the {@link PersistentEntityResource} instance to symbolize the contained entity is about to be
+		 * created.
+		 * 
+		 * @return
+		 */
+		public PersistentEntityResource forCreation() {
+			return new PersistentEntityResource(entity, content, links, renderAllAssociationLinks, embeddeds, true);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/RepositoryEntityController.java b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/RepositoryEntityController.java
index 02a940e19..e64cf9963 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/RepositoryEntityController.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/RepositoryEntityController.java
@@ -371,13 +371,12 @@ class RepositoryEntityController extends AbstractRepositoryRestController implem
 		RepositoryInvoker invoker = resourceInformation.getInvoker();
 		Object objectToSave = incomingWrapper.getBean();
 
-		Object domainObject = invoker.invokeFindOne(id);
+		Object domainObject = payload.getContent();
 
 		eTag.verify(resourceInformation.getPersistentEntity(), domainObject);
 
-		return domainObject == null ? createAndReturn(objectToSave, invoker, assembler,
-				config.returnBodyOnCreate(acceptHeader)) : saveAndReturn(objectToSave, invoker, PUT, assembler,
-				config.returnBodyOnUpdate(acceptHeader));
+		return payload.isNew() ? createAndReturn(objectToSave, invoker, assembler, config.returnBodyOnCreate(acceptHeader))
+				: saveAndReturn(objectToSave, invoker, PUT, assembler, config.returnBodyOnUpdate(acceptHeader));
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -402,15 +401,11 @@ class RepositoryEntityController extends AbstractRepositoryRestController implem
 
 		resourceInformation.verifySupportedMethod(HttpMethod.PATCH, ResourceType.ITEM);
 
-		Object domainObject = resourceInformation.getInvoker().invokeFindOne(id);
-
-		if (domainObject == null) {
-			throw new ResourceNotFoundException();
-		}
+		Object domainObject = payload.getContent();
 
 		eTag.verify(resourceInformation.getPersistentEntity(), domainObject);
 
-		return saveAndReturn(payload.getContent(), resourceInformation.getInvoker(), PATCH, assembler,
+		return saveAndReturn(domainObject, resourceInformation.getInvoker(), PATCH, assembler,
 				config.returnBodyOnUpdate(acceptHeader));
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
index 8605e709d..b02e12088 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
 import org.springframework.data.repository.support.RepositoryInvoker;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.IncomingRequest;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.PersistentEntityResource;
+import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.PersistentEntityResource.Builder;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.ResourceNotFoundException;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.RootResourceInformation;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.json.DomainObjectReader;
@@ -122,13 +123,16 @@ public class PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver implements Ha
 			}
 
 			Serializable id = idResolver.resolveArgument(parameter, mavContainer, webRequest, binderFactory);
-			Object obj = read(resourceInformation, incoming, converter, id);
+			Object objectToUpdate = getObjectToUpdate(id, resourceInformation);
+			boolean forUpdate = objectToUpdate != null;
+			Object obj = read(resourceInformation, incoming, converter, objectToUpdate);
 
 			if (obj == null) {
 				throw new HttpMessageNotReadableException(String.format(ERROR_MESSAGE, domainType));
 			}
 
-			return PersistentEntityResource.build(obj, resourceInformation.getPersistentEntity()).build();
+			Builder build = PersistentEntityResource.build(obj, resourceInformation.getPersistentEntity());
+			return forUpdate ? build.build() : build.forCreation();
 		}
 
 		throw new HttpMessageNotReadableException(String.format(NO_CONVERTER_FOUND, domainType, contentType));
@@ -145,9 +149,7 @@ public class PersistentEntityResourceHandlerMethodArgumentResolver implements Ha
 	 * @return
 	 */
 	private Object read(RootResourceInformation information, IncomingRequest request,
-			HttpMessageConverter<Object> converter, Serializable id) {
-
-		Object objectToUpdate = getObjectToUpdate(id, information);
+			HttpMessageConverter<Object> converter, Object objectToUpdate) {
 
 		// JSON + PATCH request
 		if (request.isPatchRequest() && converter instanceof MappingJackson2HttpMessageConverter) {