An amalgam assembly for a fluorescent lamp includes a glass exhaust tubulation extending from an envelope portion of the lamp toward a base portion of the lamp, the tubulation being closed at an end adjacent the lamp base portion, and a glass body disposed in the tubulation and retained by a pinched portion of the tubulation, the glass body being disposed between the pinched portion and the closed end of the tubulation. A mercury amalgam body is disposed between the glass body and the closed end of the tubulation. A mercury wetting metallic layer is disposed on a selected one of (i) an inside surface of the tubulation between the pinched portion and the closed end of the tubulation, and (ii) a surface of the glass body whereby to a wet at least one of (i) the interior surface of the glass tubulation and (ii) the surface of the glass body, to prevent the amalgam, when liquidized, from flowing past the tubulation pinched portion and into the lamp envelope.