diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
index 48e3dce253..1c3e7fe34c 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
@@ -2136,12 +2136,18 @@ void
 nm_settings_connection_update_timestamp (NMSettingsConnection *self,
                                          guint64 timestamp)
 {
-	NMSettingsConnectionPrivate *priv = NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+	NMSettingsConnectionPrivate *priv;
 	const char *connection_uuid;
 	char sbuf[60];
 
 	g_return_if_fail (NM_IS_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (self));
 
+	priv = NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+
+	if (   priv->timestamp == timestamp
+	    && priv->timestamp_set)
+		return;
+
 	priv->timestamp = timestamp;
 	priv->timestamp_set = TRUE;