diff --git a/gremlin-core/src/main/java/org/apache/tinkerpop/gremlin/process/traversal/step/util/ImmutablePath.java b/gremlin-core/src/main/java/org/apache/tinkerpop/gremlin/process/traversal/step/util/ImmutablePath.java
index 1f38ece..1b5e562 100644
--- a/gremlin-core/src/main/java/org/apache/tinkerpop/gremlin/process/traversal/step/util/ImmutablePath.java
+++ b/gremlin-core/src/main/java/org/apache/tinkerpop/gremlin/process/traversal/step/util/ImmutablePath.java
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
  */
 public class ImmutablePath implements Path, Serializable, Cloneable {
 
-    private static final ImmutablePath TAIL_PATH = new ImmutablePath(null, null, null);
+    private static final Object END = EmptyPath.instance();
+    private static final ImmutablePath TAIL_PATH = new ImmutablePath(null, END, null);
 
     private ImmutablePath previousPath;
     private Object currentObject;
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@
     }
 
     private final boolean isTail() {
-        return null == this.currentObject;
+        return END.equals(this.currentObject);
     }
 
     @Override