diff --git a/docs/docs/ref-02-component-api.md b/docs/docs/ref-02-component-api.md
index 2deeef703ed27..1583adf3eeb6a 100644
--- a/docs/docs/ref-02-component-api.md
+++ b/docs/docs/ref-02-component-api.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Merges nextState with the current state. This is the primary method you use to t
 replaceState(object nextState[, function callback])
 ```
 
-Like `setState()` but deletes any pre-existing state keys that are not in nextState.
+Like `setState()` but deletes any pre-existing state keys that are not in nextState. If you pass `null` instead of object, `this.state` will be reset back to `null`.
 
 
 ### forceUpdate()
diff --git a/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js b/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
index c3d880ce7135d..febd41c1df0fb 100644
--- a/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
+++ b/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
     this._pendingContext = null;
     this._pendingState = null;
     this._pendingForceUpdate = false;
+    this._removeState = false;
     this._compositeLifeCycleState = null;
 
     this._renderedComponent = null;
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
 
     this._pendingState = null;
     this._pendingForceUpdate = false;
+    this._removeState = false;
 
     if (inst.componentWillMount) {
       inst.componentWillMount();
@@ -261,6 +263,7 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
     this._pendingForceUpdate = false;
     this._pendingCallbacks = null;
     this._pendingElement = null;
+    this._removeState = false;
 
     ReactComponent.Mixin.unmountComponent.call(this);
 
@@ -378,6 +381,11 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
   replaceState: function(completeState, callback) {
     validateLifeCycleOnReplaceState(this);
     this._pendingState = completeState;
+
+    if (completeState === null) {
+      this._removeState = true;
+    }
+
     if (this._compositeLifeCycleState !== CompositeLifeCycle.MOUNTING) {
       // If we're in a componentWillMount handler, don't enqueue a rerender
       // because ReactUpdates assumes we're in a browser context (which is wrong
@@ -563,6 +571,7 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
     if (this._pendingElement == null &&
         this._pendingState == null &&
         this._pendingContext == null &&
+        !this._removeState &&
         !this._pendingForceUpdate) {
       return;
     }
@@ -678,7 +687,13 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = assign({},
 
     this._compositeLifeCycleState = null;
 
-    var nextState = this._pendingState || inst.state;
+    var nextState;
+    if (this._removeState) {
+      nextState = null;
+      this._removeState = false;
+    } else {
+      nextState = this._pendingState || inst.state;
+    }
     this._pendingState = null;
 
     var shouldUpdate =
diff --git a/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponentState-test.js b/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponentState-test.js
index 10fa09a1bf929..9caf1371ee396 100644
--- a/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponentState-test.js
+++ b/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponentState-test.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe('ReactCompositeComponent-state', function() {
 
     TestComponent = React.createClass({
       peekAtState: function(from, state) {
-        if (state) {
+        if (state !== undefined) {
           this.props.stateListener(from, state && state.color);
         } else {
           var internalInstance = ReactInstanceMap.get(this);
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe('ReactCompositeComponent-state', function() {
 
       render: function() {
         this.peekAtState('render');
-        return <div>{this.state.color}</div>;
+        return <div>{this.state && this.state.color}</div>;
       },
 
       componentWillMount: function() {
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ describe('ReactCompositeComponent-state', function() {
     instance.setProps({nextColor: 'green'});
     instance.setFavoriteColor('blue');
     instance.forceUpdate();
+    instance.replaceState(null);
 
     React.unmountComponentAtNode(container);
-
     expect(stateListener.mock.calls).toEqual([
       // there is no state when getInitialState() is called
       [ 'getInitialState', null, null ],
@@ -162,9 +162,17 @@ describe('ReactCompositeComponent-state', function() {
       [ 'render', 'blue', null ],
       [ 'componentDidUpdate-currentState', 'blue', null ],
       [ 'componentDidUpdate-prevState', 'blue' ],
+      // replaceState(null)
+      [ 'shouldComponentUpdate-currentState', 'blue', null ],
+      [ 'shouldComponentUpdate-nextState', null ],
+      [ 'componentWillUpdate-currentState', 'blue', null ],
+      [ 'componentWillUpdate-nextState', null ],
+      [ 'render', null, null ],
+      [ 'componentDidUpdate-currentState', null, null ],
+      [ 'componentDidUpdate-prevState', 'blue' ],
       // unmountComponent()
       // state is available within `componentWillUnmount()`
-      [ 'componentWillUnmount', 'blue', null ]
+      [ 'componentWillUnmount', null, null ]
     ]);
   });
 });