diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/collection/internal/AbstractPersistentCollection.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/collection/internal/AbstractPersistentCollection.java
index 80db62ed21..983f7929be 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/collection/internal/AbstractPersistentCollection.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/collection/internal/AbstractPersistentCollection.java
@@ -140,16 +140,22 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersistentCollection implements Serializable, Pers
 							@Override
 							public Boolean doWork() {
 								CollectionEntry entry = session.getPersistenceContext().getCollectionEntry( AbstractPersistentCollection.this );
-								CollectionPersister persister = entry.getLoadedPersister();
-								if ( persister.isExtraLazy() ) {
-									if ( hasQueuedOperations() ) {
-										session.flush();
+
+								if ( entry != null ) {
+									CollectionPersister persister = entry.getLoadedPersister();
+									if ( persister.isExtraLazy() ) {
+										if ( hasQueuedOperations() ) {
+											session.flush();
+										}
+										cachedSize = persister.getSize( entry.getLoadedKey(), session );
+										return true;
+									}
+									else {
+										read();
 									}
-									cachedSize = persister.getSize( entry.getLoadedKey(), session );
-									return true;
 								}
-								else {
-									read();
+								else{
+									throwLazyInitializationExceptionIfNotConnected();
 								}
 								return false;
 							}
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/legacy/FooBarTest.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/legacy/FooBarTest.java
index 9d6cb6c83c..a7826131f5 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/legacy/FooBarTest.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/legacy/FooBarTest.java
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ import java.util.TimeZone;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
+import org.hibernate.action.spi.BeforeTransactionCompletionProcess;
+import org.hibernate.engine.spi.SessionImplementor;
+import org.hibernate.event.spi.EventSource;
+import org.hibernate.testing.*;
 import org.jboss.logging.Logger;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -3935,6 +3939,59 @@ public class FooBarTest extends LegacyTestCase {
 		s.close();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	@TestForIssue(jiraKey = "HHH-7603")
+	public void testLazyCollectionsTouchedDuringPreCommit() throws Exception {
+		Session s = openSession();
+		s.beginTransaction();
+		Qux q = new Qux();
+		s.save( q );
+		s.getTransaction().commit();
+		s.close();
+
+		s = openSession();
+		s.beginTransaction();
+		q = ( Qux ) s.load( Qux.class, q.getKey() );
+		s.getTransaction().commit();
+
+		//clear the session
+		s.clear();
+
+		//now reload the proxy and delete it
+		s.beginTransaction();
+
+		final Qux qToDelete = ( Qux ) s.load( Qux.class, q.getKey() );
+
+		//register a pre commit process that will touch the collection and delete the entity
+		( ( EventSource ) s ).getActionQueue().registerProcess( new BeforeTransactionCompletionProcess() {
+			@Override
+			public void doBeforeTransactionCompletion(SessionImplementor session) {
+				qToDelete.getFums().size();
+			}
+		} );
+
+		s.delete( qToDelete );
+		boolean ok = false;
+		try {
+			s.getTransaction().commit();
+		}
+		catch (LazyInitializationException e) {
+			ok = true;
+			s.getTransaction().rollback();
+		}
+		finally {
+			s.close();
+		}
+		assertTrue( "lazy collection should have blown in the before trans completion", ok );
+
+		s = openSession();
+		s.beginTransaction();
+		q = ( Qux ) s.load( Qux.class, q.getKey() );
+		s.delete( q );
+		s.getTransaction().commit();
+		s.close();
+	}
+	
 	@Test
 	public void testNewSessionLifecycle() throws Exception {
 		Session s = openSession();