48 male Wistar rats learned to avoid salty-tasting fluids completely when ingestion was associated with aversive aftereffects. Nevertheless, Ss resumed drinking salty solutions following acute sodium depletion by subcutaneous formalin injection. Increased thirst elicited by injected hypertonic NaCl solution did not disrupt the learned aversion, nor did formalin treatment disrupt a learned aversion to a nonsalty solution. Results suggest that sodium-deficient Ss do not select salty fluids serendipitiously. Instead, it seems Ss have a strong drive to seek and ingest salt that precedes the reinforcement associated with taste stimulation or postingestional sodium repletion. This motivation overwhelmed Ss' memories of the aversive postingestional consequences of drinking salty fluids. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)