Help Desk Ticket Reference: https://c.na7.visual.force.com/apex/Case_View?id=500A0000006Hir2&sfdc.override=1
Steps to Reproduce: Based off example jBPM included in JBDS, run this as a JUnit:



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        HashMap<String,Object> params = new HashMap<String, Object>();
        params.put("AString", new String("AString_value"));
        params.put("AnotherString", new String("AnotherString_value"));

        // Extract a process definition from the processdefinition.xml file.
        ProcessDefinition processDefinition = ProcessDefinition.parseXmlResource("simple/processdefinition.xml");

        // Create an instance of the process definition.
        ProcessInstance instance = new ProcessInstance(processDefinition, params);
        instance.getContextInstance().setVariable("userId", new String("userId_Value"));

        String var1 = (String)instance.getContextInstance().getVariables().get("userId");
        assertEquals("Process Variable didn't match as expected",
                      "userId_Value", var1);

        instance.setKey("MyKey");   // Uh-oh!  This causes trouble

        String var2 = (String)instance.getContextInstance().getVariables().get("userId");  // same test that passed a moment ago...
        assertEquals("Process Variable didn't match as expected",
                  "userId_Value", var2); 

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Workaround: Workaround Exists
Workaround Description: Don't set the key after instance construction.  (Not usable for some legacy customers upgrading.)

project_key: SOA

Setting the key on a process instance causes variables to be mis-handled.  See JUnit example in 'steps to reproduce' below.