diff --git a/system/libraries/Session/drivers/Session_redis_driver.php b/system/libraries/Session/drivers/Session_redis_driver.php
index 46b8fa1..ad95309 100644
--- a/system/libraries/Session/drivers/Session_redis_driver.php
+++ b/system/libraries/Session/drivers/Session_redis_driver.php
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@
 	 */
 	protected $_lock_key;
 
+	/**
+	 * Key exists flag
+	 *
+	 * @var bool
+	 */
+	protected $_key_exists = FALSE;
+
 	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
@@ -166,7 +173,12 @@
 			// Needed by write() to detect session_regenerate_id() calls
 			$this->_session_id = $session_id;
 
-			$session_data = (string) $this->_redis->get($this->_key_prefix.$session_id);
+			$session_data = $this->_redis->get($this->_key_prefix.$session_id);
+
+			is_string($session_data)
+				? $this->_key_exists = TRUE
+				: $session_data = '';
+
 			$this->_fingerprint = md5($session_data);
 			return $session_data;
 		}
@@ -199,18 +211,19 @@
 				return $this->_failure;
 			}
 
-			$this->_fingerprint = md5('');
+			$this->_key_exists = FALSE;
 			$this->_session_id = $session_id;
 		}
 
 		if (isset($this->_lock_key))
 		{
 			$this->_redis->setTimeout($this->_lock_key, 300);
-			if ($this->_fingerprint !== ($fingerprint = md5($session_data)))
+			if ($this->_fingerprint !== ($fingerprint = md5($session_data)) OR $this->_key_exists === FALSE)
 			{
 				if ($this->_redis->set($this->_key_prefix.$session_id, $session_data, $this->_config['expiration']))
 				{
 					$this->_fingerprint = $fingerprint;
+					$this->_key_exists = TRUE;
 					return $this->_success;
 				}