diff --git a/appdaemon/adapi.py b/appdaemon/adapi.py
index d8cdb13d8..ea745b0b7 100644
--- a/appdaemon/adapi.py
+++ b/appdaemon/adapi.py
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ async def save_namespace(self, namespace: str | None = None) -> None:
             >>> self.save_namespace()
 
         """
-        namespace = namespace or self.namespace
+        namespace = namespace if namespace is not None else self.namespace
         await self.AD.state.save_namespace(namespace)
 
     #
diff --git a/appdaemon/state.py b/appdaemon/state.py
index 4476578ec..12939c6eb 100644
--- a/appdaemon/state.py
+++ b/appdaemon/state.py
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ async def add_persistent_namespace(self, namespace: str, writeback: str) -> Path
         main thread. Otherwise, the DbfilenameShelf can get messed up because it's not
         thread-safe. In some systems, it'll complain about being accessed from multiple
         threads."""
-
-        if isinstance(self.state.get(namespace), utils.PersistentDict):
-            self.logger.info(f"Persistent namespace '{namespace}' already initialized")
-            return
+        match self.state.get(namespace):
+            case utils.PersistentDict():
+                self.logger.info(f"Persistent namespace '{namespace}' already initialized")
+                return
 
         ns_db_path = self.namespace_db_path(namespace)
         safe = writeback == "safe"
@@ -480,8 +480,13 @@ async def process_state_callbacks(self, namespace, state):
         for remove in removes:
             await self.cancel_state_callback(remove["uuid"], remove["name"])
 
-    def entity_exists(self, namespace: str, entity: str):
-        return namespace in self.state and entity in self.state[namespace]
+    def entity_exists(self, namespace: str, entity: str) -> bool:
+        match self.state.get(namespace):
+            case dict(ns_state):
+                match ns_state.get(entity):
+                    case dict():
+                        return True
+        return False
 
     def get_entity(self, namespace: Optional[str] = None, entity_id: Optional[str] = None, name: Optional[str] = None):
         if namespace is None:
@@ -835,17 +840,19 @@ def update_namespace_state(self, namespace: str | list[str], state: dict):
             self.state[namespace].update(state)
 
     async def save_namespace(self, namespace: str) -> None:
-        if isinstance((ns := self.state[namespace]), utils.PersistentDict):
-            ns.sync()
-        else:
-            self.logger.warning("Namespace: %s cannot be saved", namespace)
+        match self.state.get(namespace):
+            case utils.PersistentDict() as state:
+                self.logger.debug("Saving namespace: %s", namespace)
+                state.sync()
+            case _:
+                self.logger.warning("Namespace: %s cannot be saved", namespace)
 
     def save_all_namespaces(self) -> None:
         self.logger.debug("Saving all namespaces")
         for ns, state in self.state.items():
             match state:
-                case utils.PersistentDict():
-                    self.logger.info("Saving persistent namespace: %s", ns)
+                case utils.PersistentDict() as state:
+                    self.logger.debug("Saving namespace: %s", ns)
                     state.sync()
 
     def save_hybrid_namespaces(self) -> None: