diff --git a/app/models/concerns/reactive_caching.rb b/app/models/concerns/reactive_caching.rb
index 2589215ad19..eef9caf1c8e 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/reactive_caching.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/reactive_caching.rb
@@ -60,13 +60,16 @@ module ReactiveCaching
     end
 
     def with_reactive_cache(*args, &blk)
-      within_reactive_cache_lifetime(*args) do
+      bootstrap = !within_reactive_cache_lifetime?(*args)
+      Rails.cache.write(alive_reactive_cache_key(*args), true, expires_in: self.class.reactive_cache_lifetime)
+
+      if bootstrap
+        ReactiveCachingWorker.perform_async(self.class, id, *args)
+        nil
+      else
         data = Rails.cache.read(full_reactive_cache_key(*args))
         yield data if data.present?
       end
-    ensure
-      Rails.cache.write(alive_reactive_cache_key(*args), true, expires_in: self.class.reactive_cache_lifetime)
-      ReactiveCachingWorker.perform_async(self.class, id, *args)
     end
 
     def clear_reactive_cache!(*args)
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ module ReactiveCaching
 
     def exclusively_update_reactive_cache!(*args)
       locking_reactive_cache(*args) do
-        within_reactive_cache_lifetime(*args) do
+        if within_reactive_cache_lifetime?(*args)
           enqueuing_update(*args) do
             value = calculate_reactive_cache(*args)
             Rails.cache.write(full_reactive_cache_key(*args), value)
@@ -105,8 +108,8 @@ module ReactiveCaching
       Gitlab::ExclusiveLease.cancel(full_reactive_cache_key(*args), uuid)
     end
 
-    def within_reactive_cache_lifetime(*args)
-      yield if Rails.cache.read(alive_reactive_cache_key(*args))
+    def within_reactive_cache_lifetime?(*args)
+      !!Rails.cache.read(alive_reactive_cache_key(*args))
     end
 
     def enqueuing_update(*args)
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/fix-reactive-cache-retry-rate.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/fix-reactive-cache-retry-rate.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..044e7fe39c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/fix-reactive-cache-retry-rate.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Update commit status from external CI services less aggressively
+merge_request: 18802
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/spec/models/concerns/reactive_caching_spec.rb b/spec/models/concerns/reactive_caching_spec.rb
index a5d505af001..4570dbb1d8e 100644
--- a/spec/models/concerns/reactive_caching_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/concerns/reactive_caching_spec.rb
@@ -29,12 +29,6 @@ describe ReactiveCaching, :use_clean_rails_memory_store_caching do
     end
   end
 
-  let(:now) { Time.now.utc }
-
-  around do |example|
-    Timecop.freeze(now) { example.run }
-  end
-
   let(:calculation) { -> { 2 + 2 } }
   let(:cache_key) { "foo:666" }
   let(:instance) { CacheTest.new(666, &calculation) }
@@ -49,13 +43,15 @@ describe ReactiveCaching, :use_clean_rails_memory_store_caching do
     context 'when cache is empty' do
       it { is_expected.to be_nil }
 
-      it 'queues a background worker' do
+      it 'enqueues a background worker to bootstrap the cache' do
         expect(ReactiveCachingWorker).to receive(:perform_async).with(CacheTest, 666)
 
         go!
       end
 
       it 'updates the cache lifespan' do
+        expect(reactive_cache_alive?(instance)).to be_falsy
+
         go!
 
         expect(reactive_cache_alive?(instance)).to be_truthy
@@ -69,6 +65,18 @@ describe ReactiveCaching, :use_clean_rails_memory_store_caching do
 
       it { is_expected.to eq(2) }
 
+      it 'does not enqueue a background worker' do
+        expect(ReactiveCachingWorker).not_to receive(:perform_async)
+
+        go!
+      end
+
+      it 'updates the cache lifespan' do
+        expect(Rails.cache).to receive(:write).with(alive_reactive_cache_key(instance), true, expires_in: anything)
+
+        go!
+      end
+
       context 'and expired' do
         before do
           invalidate_reactive_cache(instance)