diff --git a/octodns/provider/rackspace.py b/octodns/provider/rackspace.py
index 12b2c54..02c833d 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/rackspace.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/rackspace.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class RackspaceProvider(BaseProvider):
                 raise Exception('Rackspace request unauthorized')
             elif e.response.status_code == 404:
                 # Zone not found leaves the zone empty instead of failing.
-                return
+                return False
             raise
 
         before = len(zone.records)
@@ -225,8 +225,9 @@ class RackspaceProvider(BaseProvider):
                                         source=self)
                     zone.add_record(record)
 
-        self.log.info('populate:   found %s records',
+        self.log.info('populate:   found %s records, exists=True',
                       len(zone.records) - before)
+        return True
 
     def _group_records(self, all_records):
         records = defaultdict(lambda: defaultdict(list))
diff --git a/tests/test_octodns_provider_rackspace.py b/tests/test_octodns_provider_rackspace.py
index 274d63e..c467dec 100644
--- a/tests/test_octodns_provider_rackspace.py
+++ b/tests/test_octodns_provider_rackspace.py
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@ class TestRackspaceProvider(TestCase):
                      json={'error': "Could not find domain 'unit.tests.'"})
 
             zone = Zone('unit.tests.', [])
-            self.provider.populate(zone)
+            exists = self.provider.populate(zone)
             self.assertEquals(set(), zone.records)
             self.assertTrue(mock.called_once)
+            self.assertFalse(exists)
 
     def test_multipage_populate(self):
         with requests_mock() as mock:
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ class TestRackspaceProvider(TestCase):
 
             plan = self.provider.plan(expected)
             self.assertTrue(mock.called)
+            self.assertTrue(plan.exists)
 
             # OctoDNS does not propagate top-level NS records.
             self.assertEquals(1, len(plan.changes))