diff --git a/octodns/provider/ns1.py b/octodns/provider/ns1.py
index 5ea68b6..4911082 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/ns1.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/ns1.py
@@ -190,11 +190,13 @@ class Ns1Provider(BaseProvider):
             nsone_zone = self._client.loadZone(zone.name[:-1])
             records = nsone_zone.data['records']
             geo_records = nsone_zone.search(has_geo=True)
+            exists = True
         except ResourceException as e:
             if e.message != self.ZONE_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE:
                 raise
             records = []
             geo_records = []
+            exists = False
 
         before = len(zone.records)
         # geo information isn't returned from the main endpoint, so we need
@@ -208,8 +210,9 @@ class Ns1Provider(BaseProvider):
                                 source=self, lenient=lenient)
             zone_hash[(_type, name)] = record
         [zone.add_record(r) for r in zone_hash.values()]
-        self.log.info('populate:   found %s records',
-                      len(zone.records) - before)
+        self.log.info('populate:   found %s records, exists=%s',
+                      len(zone.records) - before, exists)
+        return exists
 
     def _params_for_A(self, record):
         params = {'answers': record.values, 'ttl': record.ttl}
diff --git a/tests/test_octodns_provider_ns1.py b/tests/test_octodns_provider_ns1.py
index 0e3a286..fa6cf2d 100644
--- a/tests/test_octodns_provider_ns1.py
+++ b/tests/test_octodns_provider_ns1.py
@@ -196,9 +196,10 @@ class TestNs1Provider(TestCase):
         load_mock.side_effect = \
             ResourceException('server error: zone not found')
         zone = Zone('unit.tests.', [])
-        provider.populate(zone)
+        exists = provider.populate(zone)
         self.assertEquals(set(), zone.records)
         self.assertEquals(('unit.tests',), load_mock.call_args[0])
+        self.assertFalse(exists)
 
         # Existing zone w/o records
         load_mock.reset_mock()
@@ -269,6 +270,7 @@ class TestNs1Provider(TestCase):
         # everything except the root NS
         expected_n = len(self.expected) - 1
         self.assertEquals(expected_n, len(plan.changes))
+        self.assertTrue(plan.exists)
 
         # Fails, general error
         load_mock.reset_mock()