diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java
index bad2b01..17ec9d6 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java
@@ -340,24 +340,28 @@ public class DepotMarshaller<T>
     /**
      * Fills in the primary key just assigned to the supplied persistence
      * object by the execution of the results of {@link #createInsert}.
+     *
+     * @return the newly assigned primary key or null if the object does not
+     * use primary keys or this is not the right time to assign the key.
      */
-    public void assignPrimaryKey (
+    public DepotRepository.Key assignPrimaryKey (
             Connection conn, Object po, boolean postFactum)
         throws SQLException
     {
         // if we have no primary key or no generator, then we're done
         if (!hasPrimaryKey() || _keyGenerator == null) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         // run this generator either before or after the actual insertion
         if (_keyGenerator.isPostFactum() != postFactum) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         try {
             int nextValue = _keyGenerator.nextGeneratedValue(conn);
             _primaryKey.getField().set(po, nextValue);
+            return makePrimaryKey(nextValue);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             String errmsg = "Failed to assign primary key " +
                 "[type=" + _pclass + "]";
diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java
index bfc2a3a..a54ccb1 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java
@@ -142,11 +142,13 @@ public class DepotRepository
         final DepotMarshaller marsh = getMarshaller(record.getClass());
         return invoke(new Modifier(null) {
             public int invoke (Connection conn) throws SQLException {
-                marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, false);
+                // update our modifier's key so that it can cache our results
+                updateKey(marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, false));
                 PreparedStatement stmt = marsh.createInsert(conn, record);
                 try {
                     int mods = stmt.executeUpdate();
-                    marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, true);
+                    // check again in case we have a post-factum key generator
+                    updateKey(marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, true));
                     return mods;
                 } finally {
                     stmt.close();
@@ -341,7 +343,8 @@ public class DepotRepository
         throws PersistenceException
     {
         final DepotMarshaller marsh = getMarshaller(record.getClass());
-        return invoke(new Modifier(marsh.getPrimaryKey(record)) {
+        Key key = marsh.hasPrimaryKey() ? marsh.getPrimaryKey(record) : null;
+        return invoke(new Modifier(key) {
             public int invoke (Connection conn) throws SQLException {
                 PreparedStatement stmt = null;
                 try {
@@ -358,10 +361,10 @@ public class DepotRepository
 
                     // if the update modified zero rows or the primary key was
                     // obviously unset, do an insertion
-                    marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, false);
+                    updateKey(marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, false));
                     stmt = marsh.createInsert(conn, record);
                     int mods = stmt.executeUpdate();
-                    marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, true);
+                    updateKey(marsh.assignPrimaryKey(conn, record, true));
                     return mods;
 
                 } finally {
@@ -584,6 +587,13 @@ public class DepotRepository
             _key = key;
         }
 
+        protected void updateKey (Key key)
+        {
+            if (key != null) {
+                _key = key;
+            }
+        }
+
         protected Key _key;
     }