diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 64f3a9e50..87dd1aec4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Changelog
 -   Fixed the QCS access request link in the README (@amyfbrown, gh-1171).
 -   Fix the SDK download link and instructions in the docs (@amyfbrown, gh-1173).
 -   Removed HALT from valid Protoquil / supported Quil. (@kilimanjaro, gh-1176).
+-   Fix spurious PHASE and conditional in exponential_map (@jlapeyre, gh-1182).
 
 [v2.17](https://github.com/rigetti/pyquil/compare/v2.16.0...v2.17.0) (January 30, 2020)
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/pyquil/paulis.py b/pyquil/paulis.py
index e2c868859..3c4780d49 100644
--- a/pyquil/paulis.py
+++ b/pyquil/paulis.py
@@ -923,18 +923,18 @@ def exponential_map(term: PauliTerm) -> Callable[[float], Program]:
     coeff = term.coefficient.real
     term.coefficient = term.coefficient.real
 
-    def exp_wrap(param: float) -> Program:
-        prog = Program()
-        if is_identity(term):
-            prog.inst(X(0))
-            prog.inst(PHASE(-param * coeff, 0))
-            prog.inst(X(0))
-            prog.inst(PHASE(-param * coeff, 0))
-        elif is_zero(term):
-            pass
-        else:
+    if is_zero(term) or is_identity(term):
+
+        def exp_wrap(param: float) -> Program:
+            prog = Program()
+            return prog
+
+    else:
+
+        def exp_wrap(param: float) -> Program:
+            prog = Program()
             prog += _exponentiate_general_case(term, param)
-        return prog
+            return prog
 
     return exp_wrap
 
diff --git a/pyquil/tests/test_paulis.py b/pyquil/tests/test_paulis.py
index 2cc61dbd3..cad11127a 100644
--- a/pyquil/tests/test_paulis.py
+++ b/pyquil/tests/test_paulis.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 
-from pyquil.gates import RX, RZ, CNOT, H, X, PHASE
+from pyquil.gates import RX, RZ, CNOT, H
 from pyquil.paulis import (
     PauliTerm,
     PauliSum,
@@ -421,15 +421,21 @@ def test_exponentiate_identity():
     generator = PauliTerm("I", 1, 1.0)
     para_prog = exponential_map(generator)
     prog = para_prog(1)
-    result_prog = Program().inst([X(0), PHASE(-1.0, 0), X(0), PHASE(-1.0, 0)])
+    result_prog = Program()
     assert prog == result_prog
 
     generator = PauliTerm("I", 10, 0.08)
     para_prog = exponential_map(generator)
     prog = para_prog(1)
-    result_prog = Program().inst([X(0), PHASE(-0.08, 0), X(0), PHASE(-0.08, 0)])
+    result_prog = Program()
     assert prog == result_prog
 
+    pop = 2.1 * sI(0)
+    expprog = exponential_map(pop)
+    assert expprog(0.5) == Program()
+    pop.__dict__["_ops"][0] = "Y"
+    assert expprog(0.5) == Program()
+
 
 def test_trotterize():
     term_one = PauliTerm("X", 0, 1.0)
diff --git a/pyquil/tests/test_paulis_with_placeholders.py b/pyquil/tests/test_paulis_with_placeholders.py
index 3449c8e1f..ab25505db 100644
--- a/pyquil/tests/test_paulis_with_placeholders.py
+++ b/pyquil/tests/test_paulis_with_placeholders.py
@@ -398,14 +398,14 @@ def test_exponentiate_identity():
     generator = PauliTerm("I", q[1], 1.0)
     para_prog = exponential_map(generator)
     prog = para_prog(1)
-    result_prog = Program().inst([X(q[0]), PHASE(-1.0, q[0]), X(q[0]), PHASE(-1.0, q[0])])
-    assert address_qubits(prog) == address_qubits(result_prog)
+    result_prog = Program()
+    assert prog == result_prog
 
     generator = PauliTerm("I", q[10], 0.08)
     para_prog = exponential_map(generator)
     prog = para_prog(1)
-    result_prog = Program().inst([X(q[0]), PHASE(-0.08, q[0]), X(q[0]), PHASE(-0.08, q[0])])
-    assert address_qubits(prog) == address_qubits(result_prog)
+    result_prog = Program()
+    assert prog == result_prog
 
 
 def test_trotterize():