Ion exchanged CoNaY was sulfided at 473 and 673 K and subsequently heated in He at 673 and 773 K. The resulting samples were characterized by means of overall sulfur analysis, temperature programmed Ar treatment and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was shown that during He flushing at sufficiently high temperature a protolysis reaction occurs resulting in the decomposition of Co sulfide into Co2+ ions and H2S.