diff --git a/annotations/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Ejb3Column.java b/annotations/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Ejb3Column.java
index c4fbdeea23..2b9c80301d 100644
--- a/annotations/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Ejb3Column.java
+++ b/annotations/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Ejb3Column.java
@@ -439,11 +439,9 @@ public class Ejb3Column {
 					column.setPropertyName(
 							BinderHelper.getRelativePath( propertyHolder, inferredData.getPropertyName() )
 					);
-					//although in theory, null is an acceptable value in a Map key
-					//we need force this column to be not null, as it intended to be the primary key. 
-					if ( nullability != Nullability.FORCED_NULL ) {
-						column.setNullable( false );
-					}
+			 		column.setNullable(
+						col.nullable()
+					); //TODO force to not null if available? This is a (bad) user choice.
 					column.setUnique( col.unique() );
 					column.setInsertable( col.insertable() );
 					column.setUpdatable( col.updatable() );