diff --git a/octodns/provider/powerdns.py b/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
index 4527f8e..3ad0e55 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
@@ -187,8 +187,10 @@ class PowerDnsBaseProvider(BaseProvider):
                 raise
 
         before = len(zone.records)
+        exists = False
 
         if resp:
+            exists = True
             for rrset in resp.json()['rrsets']:
                 _type = rrset['type']
                 if _type == 'SOA':
@@ -199,8 +201,9 @@ class PowerDnsBaseProvider(BaseProvider):
                                     source=self, lenient=lenient)
                 zone.add_record(record)
 
-        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 _records_for_multiple(self, record):
         return [{'content': v, 'disabled': False}
diff --git a/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py b/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
index 22ccdd6..b0d5dcf 100644
--- a/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
+++ b/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ class TestPowerDnsProvider(TestCase):
             plan = provider.plan(expected)
             self.assertEquals(expected_n, len(plan.changes))
             self.assertEquals(expected_n, provider.apply(plan))
+            self.assertTrue(plan.exists)
 
         # Non-existent zone -> creates for every record in expected
         # OMG this is fucking ugly, probably better to ditch requests_mocks and
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ class TestPowerDnsProvider(TestCase):
             plan = provider.plan(expected)
             self.assertEquals(expected_n, len(plan.changes))
             self.assertEquals(expected_n, provider.apply(plan))
+            self.assertFalse(plan.exists)
 
         with requests_mock() as mock:
             # get 422's, unknown zone