diff --git a/gramps/gui/editors/editeventref.py b/gramps/gui/editors/editeventref.py
index 45e026839..871cc4b3e 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/editors/editeventref.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/editors/editeventref.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class EditEventRef(EditReference):
     def __init__(self, state, uistate, track, event, event_ref, update):
         EditReference.__init__(self, state, uistate, track, event, event_ref,
                                update)
+        self.original = event.serialize()
         self._init_event()
 
     def _local_init(self):
@@ -268,8 +269,10 @@ class EditEventRef(EditReference):
     def ok_clicked(self, obj):
 
         if self.source.handle:
-            with DbTxn(_("Modify Event"), self.db) as trans:
-                self.commit_event(self.source,trans)
+            # only commit if it has changed
+            if self.source.serialize() != self.original:
+                with DbTxn(_("Modify Event"), self.db) as trans:
+                    self.commit_event(self.source, trans)
         else:
             if self.check_for_duplicate_id('Event'):
                 return
diff --git a/gramps/gui/editors/editmediaref.py b/gramps/gui/editors/editmediaref.py
index 86d668298..70cb55f98 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/editors/editmediaref.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/editors/editmediaref.py
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ class EditMediaRef(EditReference):
         if not self.source.get_handle():
             #show the addmedia dialog immediately, with track of parent.
             AddMedia(state, self.uistate, self.track, self.source,
-                           self._update_addmedia)
+                     self._update_addmedia)
+        else:
+            self.original = self.source.serialize()
 
     def _local_init(self):
 
@@ -518,9 +520,11 @@ class EditMediaRef(EditReference):
 
         #first save primary object
         if self.source.handle:
-            with DbTxn(_("Edit Media Object (%s)") %
-                       self.source.get_description(), self.db) as trans:
-                self.db.commit_media(self.source, trans)
+            # only commit if it has changed
+            if self.source.serialize() != self.original:
+                with DbTxn(_("Edit Media Object (%s)") %
+                           self.source.get_description(), self.db) as trans:
+                    self.db.commit_media(self.source, trans)
         else:
             if self.check_for_duplicate_id('Media'):
                 return
diff --git a/gramps/gui/editors/editreporef.py b/gramps/gui/editors/editreporef.py
index 84efaf7ce..52ab10ccf 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/editors/editreporef.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/editors/editreporef.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class EditRepoRef(EditReference):
 
         EditReference.__init__(self, state, uistate, track, source,
                                source_ref, update)
+        self.original = source.serialize()
 
     def _local_init(self):
 
@@ -189,8 +190,10 @@ class EditRepoRef(EditReference):
     def ok_clicked(self, obj):
 
         if self.source.handle:
-            with DbTxn(_("Modify Repository"), self.db) as trans:
-                self.db.commit_repository(self.source,trans)
+            # only commit if it has changed
+            if self.source.serialize() != self.original:
+                with DbTxn(_("Modify Repository"), self.db) as trans:
+                    self.db.commit_repository(self.source, trans)
         else:
             if self.check_for_duplicate_id('Repository'):
                 return