diff --git a/src/application/environment/environmentStateAnswer.ts b/src/application/environment/environmentStateAnswer.ts
index b99379f58c..4e44dc58e5 100644
--- a/src/application/environment/environmentStateAnswer.ts
+++ b/src/application/environment/environmentStateAnswer.ts
@@ -264,7 +264,9 @@ export const missingAnswer = (
     readonly id: string;
   },
 ): Result<StateAnswer, AnalysisError> => {
-  // The write gate takes a 2xx JSON null as an absence too, so a delete it confirmed that way can be answered.
+  // A read also answers with a 2xx JSON null, the absence the write gate accepts; a write never does, as a 2xx would
+  // report success for an entity that is not there.
+  const nullAbsence = tool.method === "GET";
   const latestAbsence = (ordinals: readonly number[]) =>
     ordinals
       .map((ordinal) => serving.source.exchanges.get(ordinal))
@@ -272,7 +274,8 @@ export const missingAnswer = (
         (exchange): exchange is RecordedExchange =>
           exchange !== undefined &&
           (isAbsence(exchange.status) ||
-            (exchange.status !== null &&
+            (nullAbsence &&
+              exchange.status !== null &&
               exchange.status >= 200 &&
               exchange.status < 300 &&
               recordedJson(exchange) === null)),
diff --git a/src/application/environment/environmentStateWriteAnswer.test.ts b/src/application/environment/environmentStateWriteAnswer.test.ts
index b74b86402a..678f764060 100644
--- a/src/application/environment/environmentStateWriteAnswer.test.ts
+++ b/src/application/environment/environmentStateWriteAnswer.test.ts
@@ -472,4 +472,20 @@ describe("missing entities after a delete", () => {
       state: { view: "missing", id: "1" },
     });
   });
+
+  it("never answers a write of a missing entity with success, even when the write recorded a 2xx null", () => {
+    const books = servedFrom([
+      ...BOOK_INIT_ROWS,
+      ["DELETE", "/api/books/2", null, 200],
+      ["GET", "/api/books/2", BOOK_NOT_FOUND, 404],
+    ]);
+    expect(books.state.writes.get("delete_books_by_id")).toMatchObject({
+      served: true,
+    });
+    expect(books.answer("delete_books_by_id", { id: "9" })).toMatchObject({
+      status: 404,
+      body: BOOK_NOT_FOUND,
+      state: { view: "missing", id: "9" },
+    });
+  });
 });