diff --git a/java/org/hashwords/pledge/Pledge.java b/java/org/hashwords/pledge/Pledge.java
index 97c6264..5875bde 100644
--- a/java/org/hashwords/pledge/Pledge.java
+++ b/java/org/hashwords/pledge/Pledge.java
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ private final static String generatePromises()
      */
     public final static boolean addPromise(String... promises)
     {
-	boolean added = false ;
+	boolean added = true;
 
 	if(promises != null)
 	{
@@ -155,8 +155,16 @@ public final static boolean addPromise(String... promises)
 			}
 		    }
 		}
+		else
+		{
+		    added = false;
+		}
 	    }
 	}
+	else
+	{
+	    added = false;
+	}
 
 	return added;
     }
@@ -198,7 +206,7 @@ private final static boolean arrayContains(Object candidate ,
      */
     public final static boolean removePromise(String... promises)
     {
-	boolean removed = false;
+	boolean removed = true;
 
 	if(promises != null)
 	{
@@ -212,8 +220,16 @@ public final static boolean removePromise(String... promises)
 		    for(String subpromise : subpromises)
 			removed &= PROMISES.remove(subpromise);
 		}
+		else
+		{
+		    removed = false;
+		}
 	    }
 	}
+	else
+	{
+	    removed = false;
+	}
 
 	return removed;
     }