diff --git a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/base.py b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/base.py
index 9f4bf6f487..f64ef852cf 100644
--- a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/base.py
+++ b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/base.py
@@ -153,13 +153,16 @@ class SessionBase(object):
 
     session_key = property(_get_session_key, _set_session_key)
 
-    def _get_session(self):
-        # Lazily loads session from storage.
+    def _get_session(self, no_load=False):
+        """
+        Lazily loads session from storage (unless "no_load" is True, when only
+        an empty dict is stored) and stores it in the current instance.
+        """
         self.accessed = True
         try:
             return self._session_cache
         except AttributeError:
-            if self._session_key is None:
+            if self._session_key is None or no_load:
                 self._session_cache = {}
             else:
                 self._session_cache = self.load()
diff --git a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/cache.py b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/cache.py
index 2988d3ee09..157d18a586 100644
--- a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/cache.py
+++ b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/cache.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ class SessionStore(SessionBase):
             func = self._cache.add
         else:
             func = self._cache.set
-        result = func(self.session_key, self._session, self.get_expiry_age())
+        result = func(self.session_key, self._get_session(no_load=must_create),
+                self.get_expiry_age())
         if must_create and not result:
             raise CreateError
 
diff --git a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/db.py b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/db.py
index df9d64e7c4..e697bc56b1 100644
--- a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/db.py
+++ b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/db.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class SessionStore(SessionBase):
         """
         obj = Session(
             session_key = self.session_key,
-            session_data = self.encode(self._session),
+            session_data = self.encode(self._get_session(no_load=must_create)),
             expire_date = self.get_expiry_date()
         )
         sid = transaction.savepoint()
diff --git a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/file.py b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/file.py
index 7fb608df90..3438b097c4 100644
--- a/django/contrib/sessions/backends/file.py
+++ b/django/contrib/sessions/backends/file.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class SessionStore(SessionBase):
             flags |= os.O_EXCL
         # Because this may trigger a load from storage, we must do it before
         # truncating the file to save.
-        session_data = self._session
+        session_data = self._get_session(no_load=must_create)
         try:
             fd = os.open(self._key_to_file(self.session_key), flags)
             try:
diff --git a/django/contrib/sessions/tests.py b/django/contrib/sessions/tests.py
index ec4da2d543..9b88bed8d8 100644
--- a/django/contrib/sessions/tests.py
+++ b/django/contrib/sessions/tests.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ r"""
 >>> from django.contrib.sessions.backends.cache import SessionStore as CacheSession
 >>> from django.contrib.sessions.backends.file import SessionStore as FileSession
 >>> from django.contrib.sessions.backends.base import SessionBase
+>>> from django.contrib.sessions.models import Session
 
 >>> db_session = DatabaseSession()
 >>> db_session.modified
@@ -36,6 +37,12 @@ False
 >>> db_session.modified, db_session.accessed
 (True, True)
 
+# Submitting an invalid session key (either by guessing, or if the db has
+# removed the key) results in a new key being generated.
+>>> Session.objects.filter(pk=db_session.session_key).delete()
+>>> db_session = DatabaseSession(db_session.session_key)
+>>> db_session.save()
+
 >>> file_session = FileSession()
 >>> file_session.modified
 False
@@ -65,6 +72,9 @@ False
 False
 >>> file_session.modified, file_session.accessed
 (True, True)
+>>> Session.objects.filter(pk=file_session.session_key).delete()
+>>> file_session = FileSession(file_session.session_key)
+>>> file_session.save()
 
 # Make sure the file backend checks for a good storage dir
 >>> settings.SESSION_FILE_PATH = "/if/this/directory/exists/you/have/a/weird/computer"
@@ -99,6 +109,9 @@ False
 False
 >>> cache_session.modified, cache_session.accessed
 (True, True)
+>>> Session.objects.filter(pk=cache_session.session_key).delete()
+>>> cache_session = CacheSession(cache_session.session_key)
+>>> cache_session.save()
 
 >>> s = SessionBase()
 >>> s._session['some key'] = 'exists' # Pre-populate the session with some data