diff --git a/common/persistence/cassandraPersistence.go b/common/persistence/cassandraPersistence.go
index 743a1b0e242..879e9d70766 100644
--- a/common/persistence/cassandraPersistence.go
+++ b/common/persistence/cassandraPersistence.go
@@ -302,6 +302,10 @@ const (
 		`VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, {run_id: ?, create_request_id: ?, state: ?, close_status: ?}) IF NOT EXISTS USING TTL 0 `
 
 	templateCreateWorkflowExecutionQuery2 = `INSERT INTO executions (` +
+		`shard_id, domain_id, workflow_id, run_id, type, execution, next_event_id, visibility_ts, task_id) ` +
+		`VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ` + templateWorkflowExecutionType + `, ?, ?, ?) `
+
+	templateCreateWorkflowExecutionWithReplicationQuery = `INSERT INTO executions (` +
 		`shard_id, domain_id, workflow_id, run_id, type, execution, replication_state, next_event_id, visibility_ts, task_id) ` +
 		`VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ` + templateWorkflowExecutionType + `, ` + templateReplicationStateType + `, ?, ?, ?) `
 
@@ -349,6 +353,17 @@ const (
 		`and task_id = ?`
 
 	templateUpdateWorkflowExecutionQuery = `UPDATE executions ` +
+		`SET execution = ` + templateWorkflowExecutionType + `, next_event_id = ? ` +
+		`WHERE shard_id = ? ` +
+		`and type = ? ` +
+		`and domain_id = ? ` +
+		`and workflow_id = ? ` +
+		`and run_id = ? ` +
+		`and visibility_ts = ? ` +
+		`and task_id = ? ` +
+		`IF next_event_id = ?`
+
+	templateUpdateWorkflowExecutionWithReplicationQuery = `UPDATE executions ` +
 		`SET execution = ` + templateWorkflowExecutionType + `, replication_state = ` + templateReplicationStateType + `, next_event_id = ? ` +
 		`WHERE shard_id = ? ` +
 		`and type = ? ` +
@@ -644,15 +659,6 @@ const (
 var (
 	defaultDateTime            = time.Date(2000, time.January, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 	defaultVisibilityTimestamp = common.UnixNanoToCQLTimestamp(defaultDateTime.UnixNano())
-	emptyReplicationInfo       = map[string]*ReplicationInfo{}
-	emptyReplicationInfoMap    = map[string]map[string]interface{}{}
-	emptyReplicationState      = &ReplicationState{
-		CurrentVersion:      common.EmptyVersion,
-		StartVersion:        common.EmptyVersion,
-		LastWriteVersion:    common.EmptyVersion,
-		LastWriteEventID:    common.EmptyEventID,
-		LastReplicationInfo: emptyReplicationInfo,
-	}
 )
 
 type (
@@ -1007,65 +1013,106 @@ func (d *cassandraPersistence) CreateWorkflowExecutionWithinBatch(request *Creat
 		)
 	}
 
-	var lastReplicationInfo map[string]map[string]interface{}
 	if request.ReplicationState == nil {
-		request.ReplicationState = emptyReplicationState
-		lastReplicationInfo = emptyReplicationInfoMap
+		// Cross DC feature is currently disabled so we will be creating workflow executions without replication state
+		batch.Query(templateCreateWorkflowExecutionQuery2,
+			d.shardID,
+			request.DomainID,
+			*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
+			*request.Execution.RunId,
+			rowTypeExecution,
+			request.DomainID,
+			*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
+			*request.Execution.RunId,
+			parentDomainID,
+			parentWorkflowID,
+			parentRunID,
+			initiatedID,
+			nil,
+			request.TaskList,
+			request.WorkflowTypeName,
+			request.WorkflowTimeout,
+			request.DecisionTimeoutValue,
+			request.ExecutionContext,
+			WorkflowStateCreated,
+			WorkflowCloseStatusNone,
+			common.FirstEventID,
+			request.NextEventID,
+			request.LastProcessedEvent,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			request.RequestID,
+			request.DecisionScheduleID,
+			request.DecisionStartedID,
+			"", // Decision Start Request ID
+			request.DecisionStartToCloseTimeout,
+			0,
+			0,
+			false,
+			"",
+			"", // sticky_task_list (no sticky tasklist for new workflow execution)
+			0,  // sticky_schedule_to_start_timeout
+			"", // client_library_version
+			"", // client_feature_version
+			"", // client_impl
+			request.NextEventID,
+			defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
+			rowTypeExecutionTaskID)
 	} else {
-		lastReplicationInfo = make(map[string]map[string]interface{})
+		lastReplicationInfo := make(map[string]map[string]interface{})
 		for k, v := range request.ReplicationState.LastReplicationInfo {
 			lastReplicationInfo[k] = createReplicationInfoMap(v)
 		}
-	}
 
-	batch.Query(templateCreateWorkflowExecutionQuery2,
-		d.shardID,
-		request.DomainID,
-		*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
-		*request.Execution.RunId,
-		rowTypeExecution,
-		request.DomainID,
-		*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
-		*request.Execution.RunId,
-		parentDomainID,
-		parentWorkflowID,
-		parentRunID,
-		initiatedID,
-		nil,
-		request.TaskList,
-		request.WorkflowTypeName,
-		request.WorkflowTimeout,
-		request.DecisionTimeoutValue,
-		request.ExecutionContext,
-		WorkflowStateCreated,
-		WorkflowCloseStatusNone,
-		common.FirstEventID,
-		request.NextEventID,
-		request.LastProcessedEvent,
-		cqlNowTimestamp,
-		cqlNowTimestamp,
-		request.RequestID,
-		request.DecisionScheduleID,
-		request.DecisionStartedID,
-		"", // Decision Start Request ID
-		request.DecisionStartToCloseTimeout,
-		0,
-		0,
-		false,
-		"",
-		"", // sticky_task_list (no sticky tasklist for new workflow execution)
-		0,  // sticky_schedule_to_start_timeout
-		"", // client_library_version
-		"", // client_feature_version
-		"", // client_impl
-		request.ReplicationState.CurrentVersion,
-		request.ReplicationState.StartVersion,
-		request.ReplicationState.LastWriteVersion,
-		request.ReplicationState.LastWriteEventID,
-		lastReplicationInfo,
-		request.NextEventID,
-		defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
-		rowTypeExecutionTaskID)
+		batch.Query(templateCreateWorkflowExecutionWithReplicationQuery,
+			d.shardID,
+			request.DomainID,
+			*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
+			*request.Execution.RunId,
+			rowTypeExecution,
+			request.DomainID,
+			*request.Execution.WorkflowId,
+			*request.Execution.RunId,
+			parentDomainID,
+			parentWorkflowID,
+			parentRunID,
+			initiatedID,
+			nil,
+			request.TaskList,
+			request.WorkflowTypeName,
+			request.WorkflowTimeout,
+			request.DecisionTimeoutValue,
+			request.ExecutionContext,
+			WorkflowStateCreated,
+			WorkflowCloseStatusNone,
+			common.FirstEventID,
+			request.NextEventID,
+			request.LastProcessedEvent,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			request.RequestID,
+			request.DecisionScheduleID,
+			request.DecisionStartedID,
+			"", // Decision Start Request ID
+			request.DecisionStartToCloseTimeout,
+			0,
+			0,
+			false,
+			"",
+			"", // sticky_task_list (no sticky tasklist for new workflow execution)
+			0,  // sticky_schedule_to_start_timeout
+			"", // client_library_version
+			"", // client_feature_version
+			"", // client_impl
+			request.ReplicationState.CurrentVersion,
+			request.ReplicationState.StartVersion,
+			request.ReplicationState.LastWriteVersion,
+			request.ReplicationState.LastWriteEventID,
+			lastReplicationInfo,
+			request.NextEventID,
+			defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
+			rowTypeExecutionTaskID)
+	}
 }
 
 func (d *cassandraPersistence) GetWorkflowExecution(request *GetWorkflowExecutionRequest) (
@@ -1164,70 +1211,113 @@ func (d *cassandraPersistence) GetWorkflowExecution(request *GetWorkflowExecutio
 }
 
 func (d *cassandraPersistence) UpdateWorkflowExecution(request *UpdateWorkflowExecutionRequest) error {
+	batch := d.session.NewBatch(gocql.LoggedBatch)
+	cqlNowTimestamp := common.UnixNanoToCQLTimestamp(time.Now().UnixNano())
 	executionInfo := request.ExecutionInfo
 	replicationState := request.ReplicationState
-	var lastReplicationInfo map[string]map[string]interface{}
+
 	if replicationState == nil {
-		replicationState = emptyReplicationState
-		lastReplicationInfo = emptyReplicationInfoMap
+		// Updates will be called with null ReplicationState while the feature is disabled
+		batch.Query(templateUpdateWorkflowExecutionQuery,
+			executionInfo.DomainID,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.RunID,
+			executionInfo.ParentDomainID,
+			executionInfo.ParentWorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.ParentRunID,
+			executionInfo.InitiatedID,
+			executionInfo.CompletionEvent,
+			executionInfo.TaskList,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowTypeName,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowTimeout,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimeoutValue,
+			executionInfo.ExecutionContext,
+			executionInfo.State,
+			executionInfo.CloseStatus,
+			executionInfo.LastFirstEventID,
+			executionInfo.NextEventID,
+			executionInfo.LastProcessedEvent,
+			executionInfo.StartTimestamp,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			executionInfo.CreateRequestID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionScheduleID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionStartedID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionRequestID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimeout,
+			executionInfo.DecisionAttempt,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimestamp,
+			executionInfo.CancelRequested,
+			executionInfo.CancelRequestID,
+			executionInfo.StickyTaskList,
+			executionInfo.StickyScheduleToStartTimeout,
+			executionInfo.ClientLibraryVersion,
+			executionInfo.ClientFeatureVersion,
+			executionInfo.ClientImpl,
+			executionInfo.NextEventID,
+			d.shardID,
+			rowTypeExecution,
+			executionInfo.DomainID,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.RunID,
+			defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
+			rowTypeExecutionTaskID,
+			request.Condition)
 	} else {
-		lastReplicationInfo = make(map[string]map[string]interface{})
+		lastReplicationInfo := make(map[string]map[string]interface{})
 		for k, v := range replicationState.LastReplicationInfo {
 			lastReplicationInfo[k] = createReplicationInfoMap(v)
 		}
-	}
-	cqlNowTimestamp := common.UnixNanoToCQLTimestamp(time.Now().UnixNano())
 
-	batch := d.session.NewBatch(gocql.LoggedBatch)
-	batch.Query(templateUpdateWorkflowExecutionQuery,
-		executionInfo.DomainID,
-		executionInfo.WorkflowID,
-		executionInfo.RunID,
-		executionInfo.ParentDomainID,
-		executionInfo.ParentWorkflowID,
-		executionInfo.ParentRunID,
-		executionInfo.InitiatedID,
-		executionInfo.CompletionEvent,
-		executionInfo.TaskList,
-		executionInfo.WorkflowTypeName,
-		executionInfo.WorkflowTimeout,
-		executionInfo.DecisionTimeoutValue,
-		executionInfo.ExecutionContext,
-		executionInfo.State,
-		executionInfo.CloseStatus,
-		executionInfo.LastFirstEventID,
-		executionInfo.NextEventID,
-		executionInfo.LastProcessedEvent,
-		executionInfo.StartTimestamp,
-		cqlNowTimestamp,
-		executionInfo.CreateRequestID,
-		executionInfo.DecisionScheduleID,
-		executionInfo.DecisionStartedID,
-		executionInfo.DecisionRequestID,
-		executionInfo.DecisionTimeout,
-		executionInfo.DecisionAttempt,
-		executionInfo.DecisionTimestamp,
-		executionInfo.CancelRequested,
-		executionInfo.CancelRequestID,
-		executionInfo.StickyTaskList,
-		executionInfo.StickyScheduleToStartTimeout,
-		executionInfo.ClientLibraryVersion,
-		executionInfo.ClientFeatureVersion,
-		executionInfo.ClientImpl,
-		replicationState.CurrentVersion,
-		replicationState.StartVersion,
-		replicationState.LastWriteVersion,
-		replicationState.LastWriteEventID,
-		lastReplicationInfo,
-		executionInfo.NextEventID,
-		d.shardID,
-		rowTypeExecution,
-		executionInfo.DomainID,
-		executionInfo.WorkflowID,
-		executionInfo.RunID,
-		defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
-		rowTypeExecutionTaskID,
-		request.Condition)
+		batch.Query(templateUpdateWorkflowExecutionWithReplicationQuery,
+			executionInfo.DomainID,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.RunID,
+			executionInfo.ParentDomainID,
+			executionInfo.ParentWorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.ParentRunID,
+			executionInfo.InitiatedID,
+			executionInfo.CompletionEvent,
+			executionInfo.TaskList,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowTypeName,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowTimeout,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimeoutValue,
+			executionInfo.ExecutionContext,
+			executionInfo.State,
+			executionInfo.CloseStatus,
+			executionInfo.LastFirstEventID,
+			executionInfo.NextEventID,
+			executionInfo.LastProcessedEvent,
+			executionInfo.StartTimestamp,
+			cqlNowTimestamp,
+			executionInfo.CreateRequestID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionScheduleID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionStartedID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionRequestID,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimeout,
+			executionInfo.DecisionAttempt,
+			executionInfo.DecisionTimestamp,
+			executionInfo.CancelRequested,
+			executionInfo.CancelRequestID,
+			executionInfo.StickyTaskList,
+			executionInfo.StickyScheduleToStartTimeout,
+			executionInfo.ClientLibraryVersion,
+			executionInfo.ClientFeatureVersion,
+			executionInfo.ClientImpl,
+			replicationState.CurrentVersion,
+			replicationState.StartVersion,
+			replicationState.LastWriteVersion,
+			replicationState.LastWriteEventID,
+			lastReplicationInfo,
+			executionInfo.NextEventID,
+			d.shardID,
+			rowTypeExecution,
+			executionInfo.DomainID,
+			executionInfo.WorkflowID,
+			executionInfo.RunID,
+			defaultVisibilityTimestamp,
+			rowTypeExecutionTaskID,
+			request.Condition)
+	}
 
 	d.createTransferTasks(batch, request.TransferTasks, executionInfo.DomainID, executionInfo.WorkflowID,
 		executionInfo.RunID)
@@ -2483,6 +2573,10 @@ func createWorkflowExecutionInfo(result map[string]interface{}) *WorkflowExecuti
 }
 
 func createReplicationState(result map[string]interface{}) *ReplicationState {
+	if len(result) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	info := &ReplicationState{}
 	for k, v := range result {
 		switch k {