diff --git a/buildman/manager/ephemeral.py b/buildman/manager/ephemeral.py
index 7126ec836..9ab10fd15 100644
--- a/buildman/manager/ephemeral.py
+++ b/buildman/manager/ephemeral.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class EphemeralBuilderManager(BaseManager):
       async(self._clean_up_old_builder(etcd_result.key, job_metadata))
 
   def _handle_realm_change(self, etcd_result):
-    if etcd_result.action == EtcdAction.SET:
+    if etcd_result.action == EtcdAction.CREATE:
       # We must listen on the realm created by ourselves or another worker
       realm_spec = json.loads(etcd_result.value)
       component = self.register_component(realm_spec['realm'], BuildComponent,
diff --git a/test/test_buildman.py b/test/test_buildman.py
index f10ba473e..a9029c22a 100644
--- a/test/test_buildman.py
+++ b/test/test_buildman.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class TestEphemeral(unittest.TestCase):
     self.assertEqual(self.register_component_callback.call_count, 0)
 
     realm_created = Mock(spec=etcd.EtcdResult)
-    realm_created.action = EtcdAction.SET
+    realm_created.action = EtcdAction.CREATE
     realm_created.key = os.path.join(ETCD_REALM_PREFIX, REALM_ID)
     realm_created.value = json.dumps({
         'realm': REALM_ID,