diff --git a/lib/suo/client/base.rb b/lib/suo/client/base.rb
index 7f37355..9f1a52b 100644
--- a/lib/suo/client/base.rb
+++ b/lib/suo/client/base.rb
@@ -55,10 +55,7 @@ module Suo
         retry_with_timeout do
           val, cas = get
 
-          if val.nil?
-            initial_set
-            next
-          end
+          cas = initial_set if val.nil?
 
           cleared_locks = deserialize_and_clear_locks(val)
 
@@ -101,10 +98,7 @@ module Suo
         retry_with_timeout do
           val, cas = get
 
-          if val.nil?
-            initial_set
-            next
-          end
+          cas = initial_set if val.nil?
 
           cleared_locks = deserialize_and_clear_locks(val)
 
diff --git a/lib/suo/client/memcached.rb b/lib/suo/client/memcached.rb
index 83b37b6..c54ad79 100644
--- a/lib/suo/client/memcached.rb
+++ b/lib/suo/client/memcached.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ module Suo
 
       def initial_set(val = BLANK_STR)
         @client.set(@key, val)
+        _val, cas = @client.get_cas(@key)
+        cas
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/suo/client/redis.rb b/lib/suo/client/redis.rb
index b13119e..657b482 100644
--- a/lib/suo/client/redis.rb
+++ b/lib/suo/client/redis.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ module Suo
       end
 
       def initial_set(val = BLANK_STR)
-        @client.set(@key, val)
+        set(val, nil)
+        nil
       end
     end
   end