diff --git a/cassandra/policies.py b/cassandra/policies.py
index d4d8914c..6d6c23b9 100644
--- a/cassandra/policies.py
+++ b/cassandra/policies.py
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ class DowngradingConsistencyRetryPolicy(RetryPolicy):
                          required_responses, received_responses, retry_num):
         if retry_num != 0:
             return (self.RETHROW, None)
-        elif write_type in (WriteType.SIMPLE, WriteType.BATCH, WriteType.COUNTER):
+        elif write_type in (WriteType.SIMPLE, WriteType.BATCH, WriteType.COUNTER) and received_responses > 0:
             return (self.IGNORE, None)
         elif write_type == WriteType.UNLOGGED_BATCH:
             return self._pick_consistency(received_responses)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_policies.py b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
index 4f865fb1..bd854104 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_policies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
@@ -1052,6 +1052,14 @@ class DowngradingConsistencyRetryPolicyTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(retry, RetryPolicy.RETHROW)
         self.assertEqual(consistency, None)
 
+	    # On these type of writes failures should not be ignored
+        # if received_responses is 0
+        for write_type in (WriteType.SIMPLE, WriteType.BATCH, WriteType.COUNTER):
+            retry, consistency = policy.on_write_timeout(
+                query=None, consistency=ONE, write_type=write_type,
+                required_responses=1, received_responses=0, retry_num=0)
+            self.assertEqual(retry, RetryPolicy.RETHROW)
+
         # ignore failures on these types of writes
         for write_type in (WriteType.SIMPLE, WriteType.BATCH, WriteType.COUNTER):
             retry, consistency = policy.on_write_timeout(