diff --git a/gerrit-acceptance-tests/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/CreateChangeIT.java b/gerrit-acceptance-tests/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/CreateChangeIT.java
index bdabfae7ad..b31f8acc82 100644
--- a/gerrit-acceptance-tests/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/CreateChangeIT.java
+++ b/gerrit-acceptance-tests/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/CreateChangeIT.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package com.google.gerrit.acceptance.rest.change;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.AbstractDaemonTest;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.RestResponse;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.ChangeInfo;
@@ -84,5 +85,15 @@ public class CreateChangeIT extends AbstractDaemonTest {
     assertThat(out.subject).isEqualTo(in.subject);
     assertThat(out.topic).isEqualTo(in.topic);
     assertThat(out.status).isEqualTo(in.status);
+    assertThat(out.revisions).hasSize(1);
+    Boolean draft = Iterables.getOnlyElement(out.revisions.values()).draft;
+    assertThat(booleanToDraftStatus(draft)).isEqualTo(in.status);
+  }
+
+  private ChangeStatus booleanToDraftStatus(Boolean draft) {
+    if (draft == null) {
+      return ChangeStatus.NEW;
+    }
+    return draft ? ChangeStatus.DRAFT : ChangeStatus.NEW;
   }
 }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/CreateChange.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/CreateChange.java
index 440865c93a..ae8a370402 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/CreateChange.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/CreateChange.java
@@ -203,8 +203,7 @@ public class CreateChange implements
         updateRef(git, rw, c, change, ins.getPatchSet());
 
         change.setTopic(input.topic);
-        change.setStatus(input.status != null
-            ? Change.Status.forChangeStatus(input.status) : Change.Status.NEW);
+        ins.setDraft(input.status != null && input.status == ChangeStatus.DRAFT);
         ins.insert();
 
         return Response.created(json.format(change.getId()));