diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 9635309b052..9060cfcef0b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ v 8.13.0 (unreleased)
   - Add missing values to linter !6276 (Katarzyna Kobierska Ula Budziszewska)
   - Fix Long commit messages overflow viewport in file tree
   - Revert avoid touching file system on Build#artifacts?
+  - Stop using a Redis lease when updating the project activity timestamp whenever a new event is created
   - Add broadcast messages and alerts below sub-nav
   - Better empty state for Groups view
   - Update ruby-prof to 0.16.2. !6026 (Elan Ruusamäe)
diff --git a/app/models/event.rb b/app/models/event.rb
index 55a76e26f3c..633019fe0af 100644
--- a/app/models/event.rb
+++ b/app/models/event.rb
@@ -328,13 +328,15 @@ class Event < ActiveRecord::Base
   def reset_project_activity
     return unless project
 
-    # Don't even bother obtaining a lock if the last update happened less than
-    # 60 minutes ago.
+    # Don't bother updating if we know the project was updated recently.
     return if recent_update?
 
-    return unless try_obtain_lease
-
-    project.update_column(:last_activity_at, created_at)
+    # At this point it's possible for multiple threads/processes to try to
+    # update the project. Only one query should actually perform the update,
+    # hence we add the extra WHERE clause for last_activity_at.
+    Project.unscoped.where(id: project_id).
+      where('last_activity_at > ?', RESET_PROJECT_ACTIVITY_INTERVAL.ago).
+      update_all(last_activity_at: created_at)
   end
 
   private
@@ -342,11 +344,4 @@ class Event < ActiveRecord::Base
   def recent_update?
     project.last_activity_at > RESET_PROJECT_ACTIVITY_INTERVAL.ago
   end
-
-  def try_obtain_lease
-    Gitlab::ExclusiveLease.
-      new("project:update_last_activity_at:#{project.id}",
-          timeout: RESET_PROJECT_ACTIVITY_INTERVAL.to_i).
-      try_obtain
-  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/event_spec.rb b/spec/models/event_spec.rb
index 8600eb4d2c4..af5002487cc 100644
--- a/spec/models/event_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/event_spec.rb
@@ -173,13 +173,11 @@ describe Event, models: true do
       it 'updates the project' do
         project.update(last_activity_at: 1.year.ago)
 
-        expect_any_instance_of(Gitlab::ExclusiveLease).
-          to receive(:try_obtain).and_return(true)
-
-        expect(project).to receive(:update_column).
-          with(:last_activity_at, a_kind_of(Time))
-
         create_event(project, project.owner)
+
+        project.reload
+
+        project.last_activity_at <= 1.minute.ago
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index ef854a25321..3ab5ac78bba 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -308,8 +308,7 @@ describe Project, models: true do
   end
 
   describe 'last_activity methods' do
-    let(:timestamp) { Time.now - 2.hours }
-    let(:project) { create(:project, created_at: timestamp, updated_at: timestamp) }
+    let(:project) { create(:project, last_activity_at: 2.hours.ago) }
 
     describe 'last_activity' do
       it 'alias last_activity to last_event' do
@@ -321,7 +320,6 @@ describe Project, models: true do
 
     describe 'last_activity_date' do
       it 'returns the creation date of the project\'s last event if present' do
-        expect_any_instance_of(Event).to receive(:try_obtain_lease).and_return(true)
         new_event = create(:event, project: project, created_at: Time.now)
 
         expect(project.last_activity_at.to_i).to eq(new_event.created_at.to_i)