diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/MetaFixer.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/MetaFixer.java
index 3477ec6e644..281df1ecc01 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/MetaFixer.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/MetaFixer.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HConstants;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.MetaTableAccessor;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.TableName;
-import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Put;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.RegionInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.RegionInfoBuilder;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.exceptions.MergeRegionException;
@@ -99,11 +98,13 @@ class MetaFixer {
       HRegion.createRegionDir(configuration, ri, FSUtils.getRootDir(configuration));
       // If an error here, then we'll have a region in the filesystem but not
       // in hbase:meta (if the below fails). Should be able to rerun the fix.
-      // The second call to createRegionDir will just go through. Idempotent.
-      Put put = MetaTableAccessor.makePutFromRegionInfo(ri, HConstants.LATEST_TIMESTAMP);
-      MetaTableAccessor.putsToMetaTable(this.masterServices.getConnection(),
-          Collections.singletonList(put));
-      LOG.info("Fixed hole by adding {}; region is NOT assigned (assign to online).", ri);
+      // Add to hbase:meta and then update in-memory state so it knows of new
+      // Region; addRegionToMeta adds region and adds a state column set to CLOSED.
+      MetaTableAccessor.addRegionToMeta(this.masterServices.getConnection(), ri);
+      this.masterServices.getAssignmentManager().getRegionStates().
+          updateRegionState(ri, RegionState.State.CLOSED);
+      LOG.info("Fixed hole by adding {} in CLOSED state; region NOT assigned (assign to ONLINE).",
+          ri);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestMetaFixer.java b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestMetaFixer.java
index aba00fed336..16768a28fa6 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestMetaFixer.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestMetaFixer.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.master;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.testclassification.MasterTests;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Threads;
 
 import org.junit.AfterClass;
-import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.BeforeClass;
 import org.junit.ClassRule;
 import org.junit.Rule;
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public class TestMetaFixer {
     TEST_UTIL.createMultiRegionTable(tn, HConstants.CATALOG_FAMILY);
     List<RegionInfo> ris = MetaTableAccessor.getTableRegions(TEST_UTIL.getConnection(), tn);
     MasterServices services = TEST_UTIL.getHBaseCluster().getMaster();
+    int initialSize = services.getAssignmentManager().getRegionStates().getRegionStates().size();
     services.getCatalogJanitor().scan();
     CatalogJanitor.Report report = services.getCatalogJanitor().getLastReport();
     assertTrue(report.isEmpty());
@@ -83,19 +84,23 @@ public class TestMetaFixer {
     deleteRegion(services, ris.get(ris.size() -1));
     deleteRegion(services, ris.get(3));
     deleteRegion(services, ris.get(0));
+    assertEquals(initialSize - 3,
+        services.getAssignmentManager().getRegionStates().getRegionStates().size());
     services.getCatalogJanitor().scan();
     report = services.getCatalogJanitor().getLastReport();
-    Assert.assertEquals(report.toString(), 3, report.getHoles().size());
+    assertEquals(report.toString(), 3, report.getHoles().size());
     MetaFixer fixer = new MetaFixer(services);
     fixer.fixHoles(report);
     services.getCatalogJanitor().scan();
     report = services.getCatalogJanitor().getLastReport();
     assertTrue(report.toString(), report.isEmpty());
+    assertEquals(initialSize,
+        services.getAssignmentManager().getRegionStates().getRegionStates().size());
     // Disable and reenable so the added regions get reassigned.
     TEST_UTIL.getAdmin().disableTable(tn);
     TEST_UTIL.getAdmin().enableTable(tn);
     ris = MetaTableAccessor.getTableRegions(TEST_UTIL.getConnection(), tn);
-    Assert.assertEquals(originalCount, ris.size());
+    assertEquals(originalCount, ris.size());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -121,7 +126,7 @@ public class TestMetaFixer {
     report = services.getCatalogJanitor().getLastReport();
     assertTrue(report.isEmpty());
     ris = MetaTableAccessor.getTableRegions(TEST_UTIL.getConnection(), tn);
-    Assert.assertEquals(0, ris.size());
+    assertEquals(0, ris.size());
   }
 
   private static void makeOverlap(MasterServices services, RegionInfo a, RegionInfo b)
@@ -154,8 +159,8 @@ public class TestMetaFixer {
     Threads.sleep(10000);
     services.getCatalogJanitor().scan();
     report = services.getCatalogJanitor().getLastReport();
-    Assert.assertEquals(6, report.getOverlaps().size());
-    Assert.assertEquals(1, MetaFixer.calculateMerges(10, report.getOverlaps()).size());
+    assertEquals(6, report.getOverlaps().size());
+    assertEquals(1, MetaFixer.calculateMerges(10, report.getOverlaps()).size());
     MetaFixer fixer = new MetaFixer(services);
     fixer.fixOverlaps(report);
     while (true) {