diff --git a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
index 4148e8e..9b2cd4d 100644
--- a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
+++ b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ module RemoteStorage
 
       object.reload
       timestamp = object.last_modified.to_i
-      create_missing_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
-      update_directory_object(user, directory, timestamp)
+      update_all_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
     rescue ::Riak::HTTPFailedRequest
       halt 422
     end
@@ -172,20 +171,16 @@ module RemoteStorage
         run
     end
 
-    def create_missing_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
+    def update_all_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
       parent_directories = directory.split("/")
-      parent_directories.pop
+
       while parent_directories.any?
         parent_directory = parent_directories.join("/")
-        unless directory_bucket.exist?("#{user}:#{parent_directory}")
-          update_directory_object(user, parent_directory, timestamp)
-        end
+        update_directory_object(user, parent_directory, timestamp)
         parent_directories.pop
       end
 
-      unless directory_bucket.exist?("#{user}:")
-        update_directory_object(user, "", timestamp)
-      end
+      update_directory_object(user, "", timestamp)
     end
 
     def update_directory_object(user, directory, timestamp)
diff --git a/spec/directories_spec.rb b/spec/directories_spec.rb
index 71f9259..0e93cfd 100644
--- a/spec/directories_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/directories_spec.rb
@@ -79,15 +79,18 @@ describe "Directories" do
           content["projects/"].to_s.length.must_be :>=, 10
         end
 
-        it "does not update existing directory objects" do
-          old_timestamp = (Time.now.to_i - 2).to_s
-          tasks_object = directory_bucket.get("jimmy:tasks")
-          tasks_object.data = old_timestamp
-          tasks_object.store
+        it "updates the timestamps of the existing directory objects" do
+          directory = directory_bucket.new("jimmy:tasks")
+          directory.content_type = "text/plain"
+          directory.data = 2.seconds.ago.to_i.to_s
+          directory.store
 
           put "/jimmy/tasks/private/projects/world-domination/start", "write a manifesto"
 
-          tasks_object.reload.data.must_equal old_timestamp
+          object = data_bucket.get("jimmy:tasks/private/projects/world-domination:start")
+          directory.reload
+
+          directory.data.to_i.must_equal object.last_modified.to_i
         end
       end
     end