Index: modeshape-jcr/src/main/java/org/modeshape/jcr/AbstractJcrNode.java
===================================================================
--- modeshape-jcr/src/main/java/org/modeshape/jcr/AbstractJcrNode.java	(revision 2478)
+++ modeshape-jcr/src/main/java/org/modeshape/jcr/AbstractJcrNode.java	(working copy)
@@ -1538,8 +1538,12 @@ abstract class AbstractJcrNode extends AbstractJcrItem implements javax.jcr.Node
             property.remove();
             return property;
         }
-        // else the property doesn't exist ...
-        throw new RepositoryException(JcrI18n.propertyNotFoundOnNode.text(name, getPath(), cache.workspaceName()));
+
+        /*
+         * Return without throwing an exception to match JR behavior.  This is also in conformance with the spec.
+         * This is a fix for MODE-976.
+         */
+        return null;
     }
 
     /**
Index: modeshape-jcr/src/test/java/org/modeshape/jcr/ModeShapeTckTest.java
===================================================================
--- modeshape-jcr/src/test/java/org/modeshape/jcr/ModeShapeTckTest.java	(revision 2478)
+++ modeshape-jcr/src/test/java/org/modeshape/jcr/ModeShapeTckTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -1229,4 +1229,15 @@ public class ModeShapeTckTest extends AbstractJCRTest {
         assertThat(nodeA.getPath(), is("/nodeB/nodeA"));
         assertThat(nodeB.getPath(), is("/nodeB"));
     }
+
+    @FixFor( "MODE-956" )
+    public void testShouldBeAbleToSetNonexistingPropertyToNull() throws Exception {
+        Node rootNode = superuser.getRootNode();
+
+        Node child = rootNode.addNode("child", "nt:unstructured");
+        rootNode.save();
+
+        child.setProperty("foo", (Calendar)null);
+    }
+
 }