diff --git a/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/PreferencesImpl.java b/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/PreferencesImpl.java
index ac19aa6..b6aea58 100644
--- a/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/PreferencesImpl.java
+++ b/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/PreferencesImpl.java
@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public synchronized boolean isValid() {
+        return this.valid;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @see org.osgi.service.prefs.Preferences#put(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
      */
@@ -645,4 +649,4 @@
             child.applyChanges(current);
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/impl/PreferencesServiceImpl.java b/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/impl/PreferencesServiceImpl.java
index bed0080..18bde38 100644
--- a/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/impl/PreferencesServiceImpl.java
+++ b/prefs/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/prefs/impl/PreferencesServiceImpl.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
     public synchronized Preferences getUserPreferences(String name) {
         PreferencesImpl result = (PreferencesImpl) this.trees.get(name);
         // if the tree does not exist yet, create it
-        if (result == null) {
+        if (result == null || !result.isValid()) {
             result = new PreferencesImpl(new PreferencesDescription(this.bundleId, name), this.storeManager);
             this.trees.put(name, result);
         }
@@ -120,4 +120,4 @@
         list.addAll(this.trees.values());
         return list;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}