diff --git a/cmd/integration/integration.go b/cmd/integration/integration.go
index 33b9cd64cff..a7898dd96c3 100644
--- a/cmd/integration/integration.go
+++ b/cmd/integration/integration.go
@@ -889,7 +889,11 @@ func runSchedulerNoPhantomPodsTest(client *client.Client) {
 		glog.Fatalf("Failed to create pod: %v, %v", pod, err)
 	}
 	if err := wait.Poll(time.Second, time.Second*60, podRunning(client, baz.Namespace, baz.Name)); err != nil {
-		glog.Fatalf("FAILED: (Scheduler probably didn't process deletion of 'phantom.bar') Pod never started running: %v", err)
+		if pod, perr := client.Pods(api.NamespaceDefault).Get("phantom.bar"); perr == nil {
+			glog.Fatalf("FAILED: 'phantom.bar' was never deleted: %#v", pod)
+		} else {
+			glog.Fatalf("FAILED: (Scheduler probably didn't process deletion of 'phantom.bar') Pod never started running: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	glog.Info("Scheduler doesn't make phantom pods: test passed.")
diff --git a/pkg/tools/etcd_helper.go b/pkg/tools/etcd_helper.go
index d60cf68b43a..0f603948860 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/etcd_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/etcd_helper.go
@@ -556,14 +556,21 @@ func (h *EtcdHelper) GuaranteedUpdate(key string, ptrToType runtime.Object, igno
 		ttl := uint64(0)
 		if node != nil {
 			index = node.ModifiedIndex
-			if node.TTL > 0 {
+			if node.TTL != 0 {
 				ttl = uint64(node.TTL)
 			}
+			if node.Expiration != nil && ttl == 0 {
+				ttl = 1
+			}
 		} else if res != nil {
 			index = res.EtcdIndex
 		}
 
 		if newTTL != nil {
+			if ttl != 0 && *newTTL == 0 {
+				// TODO: remove this after we have verified this is no longer an issue
+				glog.V(4).Infof("GuaranteedUpdate is clearing TTL for %q, may not be intentional", key)
+			}
 			ttl = *newTTL
 		}