diff --git a/test/unit/container/test_replicator.py b/test/unit/container/test_replicator.py
index 67f8a392b6..8e399e6512 100644
--- a/test/unit/container/test_replicator.py
+++ b/test/unit/container/test_replicator.py
@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         remote_broker.initialize(put_timestamp, POLICIES.default.idx)
 
         def check_replicate(expected_shard_ranges, from_broker, to_broker):
-            daemon = replicator.ContainerReplicator({})
+            daemon = replicator.ContainerReplicator({}, logger=FakeLogger())
             part, node = self._get_broker_part_node(to_broker)
             info = broker.get_replication_info()
             success = daemon._repl_to_node(node, from_broker, part, info)
@@ -1267,9 +1267,6 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
                 expected_shard_ranges,
                 to_broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
             )
-            self.assertEqual(1, daemon.stats['deferred'])
-            self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['rsync'])
-            self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['diff'])
             local_info = self._get_broker(
                 'a', 'c', node_index=0).get_info()
             remote_info = self._get_broker(
@@ -1280,6 +1277,7 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
                 self.assertEqual(remote_info[k], v,
                                  "mismatch remote %s %r != %r" % (
                                      k, remote_info[k], v))
+            return daemon
 
         bounds = (('', 'g'), ('g', 'r'), ('r', ''))
         shard_ranges = [
@@ -1291,12 +1289,50 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         for shard_range in shard_ranges[:2]:
             for db in (broker, remote_broker):
                 db.merge_shard_ranges(shard_range)
-        # now add a shard range to the "local" broker only
-        own_sr = broker.enable_sharding(Timestamp.now())
+        # now add a shard range and an object to the "local" broker only
         broker.merge_shard_ranges(shard_ranges[2])
         broker_ranges = broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
+        self.assertShardRangesEqual(shard_ranges, broker_ranges)
+        broker.put_object('obj', Timestamp.now().internal, 0, 'text/plain',
+                          EMPTY_ETAG)
+        # sharding not yet enabled so replication not deferred
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['deferred'])
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['no_change'])
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['rsync'])
+        self.assertEqual(1, daemon.stats['diff'])
+        self.assertEqual({'diffs': 1},
+                         daemon.logger.get_increment_counts())
+
+        # update one shard range
+        shard_ranges[1].update_meta(50, 50)
+        # sharding not yet enabled so replication not deferred, but the two
+        # brokers' object tables are in sync so no rsync or usync either
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['deferred'])
+        self.assertEqual(1, daemon.stats['no_change'])
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['rsync'])
+        self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['diff'])
+        self.assertEqual({'no_changes': 1},
+                         daemon.logger.get_increment_counts())
+
+        # now enable local broker for sharding
+        own_sr = broker.enable_sharding(Timestamp.now())
+        # update one shard range
+        shard_ranges[1].update_meta(13, 123)
+        broker.merge_shard_ranges(shard_ranges[1])
+        broker_ranges = broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(shard_ranges + [own_sr], broker_ranges)
-        check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+
+        def check_stats(daemon):
+            self.assertEqual(1, daemon.stats['deferred'])
+            self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['no_change'])
+            self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['rsync'])
+            self.assertEqual(0, daemon.stats['diff'])
+            self.assertFalse(daemon.logger.get_increments())
+
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # update one shard range
         shard_ranges[1].update_meta(99, 0)
@@ -1304,7 +1340,8 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         # sanity check
         broker_ranges = broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(shard_ranges + [own_sr], broker_ranges)
-        check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # delete one shard range
         shard_ranges[0].deleted = 1
@@ -1313,7 +1350,8 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         # sanity check
         broker_ranges = broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(shard_ranges + [own_sr], broker_ranges)
-        check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # put a shard range again
         shard_ranges[2].timestamp = Timestamp.now()
@@ -1322,7 +1360,8 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         # sanity check
         broker_ranges = broker.get_all_shard_range_data()
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(shard_ranges + [own_sr], broker_ranges)
-        check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # update same shard range on local and remote, remote later
         shard_ranges[-1].meta_timestamp = Timestamp.now()
@@ -1338,7 +1377,8 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(remote_shard_ranges + [own_sr],
                                     remote_broker_ranges)
         self.assertShardRangesNotEqual(shard_ranges, remote_shard_ranges)
-        check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # undelete shard range *on the remote*
         deleted_ranges = [sr for sr in remote_shard_ranges if sr.deleted]
@@ -1351,10 +1391,12 @@ class TestReplicatorSync(test_db_replicator.TestReplicatorSync):
         self.assertShardRangesEqual(remote_shard_ranges + [own_sr],
                                     remote_broker_ranges)
         self.assertShardRangesNotEqual(shard_ranges, remote_shard_ranges)
-        check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, broker, remote_broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
         # reverse replication direction and expect syncs to propagate
-        check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, remote_broker, broker)
+        daemon = check_replicate(remote_broker_ranges, remote_broker, broker)
+        check_stats(daemon)
 
     def test_sync_shard_ranges_error(self):
         # verify that replication is not considered successful if