diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/Attribute.java b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/Attribute.java
index 4e4e44b971..42f3e4fbb9 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/Attribute.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/Attribute.java
@@ -43,14 +43,17 @@ public interface Attribute<T> {
     T getAndSet(T value);
 
     /**
-     *  Atomically sets to the given value if this {@link Attribute} does not contain a value at the moment.
+     *  Atomically sets to the given value if this {@link Attribute}'s value is {@code null}.
      *  If it was not possible to set the value as it contains a value it will just return the current value.
      */
     T setIfAbsent(T value);
 
     /**
-     * Removes this attribute from the {@link AttributeMap} and returns the old value..  Subsequent {@link #get()}
-     * calls will return @{code null}.
+     * Removes this attribute from the {@link AttributeMap} and returns the old value. Subsequent {@link #get()}
+     * calls will return {@code null}.
+     *
+     * If you only want to return the old value and clear the {@link Attribute} while still keep it in
+     * {@link AttributeMap} use {@link #getAndSet(Object)} with a value of {@code null}.
      */
     T getAndRemove();
 
@@ -61,7 +64,10 @@ public interface Attribute<T> {
     boolean compareAndSet(T oldValue, T newValue);
 
     /**
-     * Removes this attribute from the {@link AttributeMap}.  Subsequent {@link #get()} calls will return @{code null}.
+     * Removes this attribute from the {@link AttributeMap}. Subsequent {@link #get()} calls will return @{code null}.
+     *
+     * If you only want to remove the value and clear the {@link Attribute} while still keep it in
+     * {@link AttributeMap} use {@link #set(Object)} with a value of {@code null}.
      */
     void remove();
 }
diff --git a/common/src/test/java/io/netty/util/DefaultAttributeMapTest.java b/common/src/test/java/io/netty/util/DefaultAttributeMapTest.java
index 1bdb8b019a..447512688b 100644
--- a/common/src/test/java/io/netty/util/DefaultAttributeMapTest.java
+++ b/common/src/test/java/io/netty/util/DefaultAttributeMapTest.java
@@ -73,10 +73,27 @@ public class DefaultAttributeMapTest {
     public void testSetRemove() {
         AttributeKey<Integer> key = AttributeKey.valueOf("key");
 
-        map.attr(key).set(1);
-        assertSame(1, map.attr(key).getAndRemove());
+        Attribute<Integer> attr = map.attr(key);
+        attr.set(1);
+        assertSame(1, attr.getAndRemove());
 
-        map.attr(key).set(2);
-        assertSame(2, map.attr(key).get());
+        Attribute<Integer> attr2 = map.attr(key);
+        attr2.set(2);
+        assertSame(2, attr2.get());
+        assertNotSame(attr, attr2);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGetAndSetWithNull() {
+        AttributeKey<Integer> key = AttributeKey.valueOf("key");
+
+        Attribute<Integer> attr = map.attr(key);
+        attr.set(1);
+        assertSame(1, attr.getAndSet(null));
+
+        Attribute<Integer> attr2 = map.attr(key);
+        attr2.set(2);
+        assertSame(2, attr2.get());
+        assertSame(attr, attr2);
     }
 }