diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/intent/impl/HazelcastIntentStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/intent/impl/HazelcastIntentStore.java
index 80c27d1..e03738d 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/intent/impl/HazelcastIntentStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/intent/impl/HazelcastIntentStore.java
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@
             prevParking = states.get(id);
             if (prevParking == null) {
                 IntentState existing = states.putIfAbsent(id, SUBMITTED);
-                verify(existing != null, "Conditional replace %s => %s failed", prevParking, SUBMITTED);
+                verify(existing == null, "Conditional replace %s => %s failed", prevParking, SUBMITTED);
             } else {
                 verify(prevParking == WITHDRAWN,
                         "Illegal state transition attempted from %s to SUBMITTED",