diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraint.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraint.java
index 8f912dd48d1..8e79dab5235 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraint.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraint.java
@@ -52,14 +52,12 @@ public String getViolationDescription(short violationCode) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  static final List<Short> NO_VIOLATIONS = new ArrayList<>();
-
   @Override
   public List<Short> check(Environment env, Mutation mutation) {
 
     // fast size check
     if (mutation.numBytes() < maxSize) {
-      return NO_VIOLATIONS;
+      return null;
     }
 
     List<Short> violations = new ArrayList<>();
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
index 1e094c465f0..c729d605ec8 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.accumulo.core.constraints;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
 
 import java.util.Collections;
 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ public void testConstraint() {
     // pass constraints
     Mutation m = new Mutation("rowId");
     m.put("colf", "colq", new Value());
-    assertEquals(Collections.emptyList(), constraint.check(null, m));
+    assertNull(constraint.check(null, m));
 
     // test with row id > 1mb
     m = new Mutation(oversized);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DeprecatedConstraintExtendTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DeprecatedConstraintExtendTest.java
index e75bd160aac..66b04a32f3b 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DeprecatedConstraintExtendTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/constraints/DeprecatedConstraintExtendTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -92,10 +93,11 @@ private static class MinKeySizeConstraint extends DefaultKeySizeConstraint {
     @Override
     public List<Short> check(Constraint.Environment env, Mutation mutation) {
       List<Short> violations = super.check(env, mutation);
-      if (!violations.isEmpty()) {
+      if (violations != null && !violations.isEmpty()) {
         return violations;
       }
 
+      violations = new ArrayList<>();
       for (ColumnUpdate cu : mutation.getUpdates()) {
         int size = mutation.getRow().length;
         size += cu.getColumnFamily().length;
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
index 80624370c07..471d2add604 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/data/constraints/DefaultKeySizeConstraintTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.accumulo.core.data.constraints;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
 
 import java.util.Collections;
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ public void testConstraint() {
     // pass constraints
     Mutation m = new Mutation("rowId");
     m.put("colf", "colq", new Value());
-    assertEquals(Collections.emptyList(), constraint.check(null, m));
+    assertNull(constraint.check(null, m));
 
     // test with row id > 1mb
     m = new Mutation(oversized);