diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs b/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
index 9524e9b46f..06a05695a6 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ impl<T: IndexValue> WriteAccountMapEntry<T> {
             // If it's the first non-cache insert, also bump the stored ref count
             self.borrow_owned_entry().add_un_ref(true);
         }
+        self.borrow_owned_entry().set_dirty(true);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/runtime/src/in_mem_accounts_index.rs b/runtime/src/in_mem_accounts_index.rs
index b283806277..339b6b75c8 100644
--- a/runtime/src/in_mem_accounts_index.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/in_mem_accounts_index.rs
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ impl<T: IndexValue> InMemAccountsIndex<T> {
                 Self::update_stat(&self.stats().updates_in_mem, 1);
             }
             Entry::Vacant(vacant) => {
+                assert!(new_value.dirty());
                 vacant.insert(new_value);
                 self.stats().insert_or_delete(true, self.bin);
             }
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ impl<T: IndexValue> InMemAccountsIndex<T> {
         if addref {
             current.add_un_ref(true);
         }
-        new_value.set_dirty(true);
+        current.set_dirty(true);
     }
 
     // modifies slot_list
@@ -344,6 +345,7 @@ impl<T: IndexValue> InMemAccountsIndex<T> {
                 ))
             }
             Entry::Vacant(account_entry) => {
+                assert!(new_entry.dirty());
                 account_entry.insert(new_entry);
                 None
             }