diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 511ecf5d076..3ecc45cde07 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ v 7.10.0 (unreleased)
   - Add inifinite scroll to user page activity
   - Don't show commit comment button when user is not signed in.
   - Don't include system notes in issue/MR comment count.
+  - Don't mark merge request as updated when merge status relative to target branch changes.
 
 v 7.9.0
   - Send EmailsOnPush email when branch or tag is created or deleted.
diff --git a/app/models/merge_request.rb b/app/models/merge_request.rb
index 798306f6dcc..5634f9a686e 100644
--- a/app/models/merge_request.rb
+++ b/app/models/merge_request.rb
@@ -105,6 +105,15 @@ class MergeRequest < ActiveRecord::Base
     state :unchecked
     state :can_be_merged
     state :cannot_be_merged
+
+    around_transition do |merge_request, transition, block|
+      merge_request.record_timestamps = false
+      begin
+        block.call
+      ensure
+        merge_request.record_timestamps = true
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   validates :source_project, presence: true, unless: :allow_broken
diff --git a/app/services/merge_requests/refresh_service.rb b/app/services/merge_requests/refresh_service.rb
index 7eef2c2d6a5..e9b526d1fb7 100644
--- a/app/services/merge_requests/refresh_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/merge_requests/refresh_service.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module MergeRequests
 
         if merge_request.source_branch == @branch_name || force_push?
           merge_request.reload_code
-          update_merge_request(merge_request)
+          merge_request.mark_as_unchecked
         else
           mr_commit_ids = merge_request.commits.map(&:id)
           push_commit_ids = @commits.map(&:id)
@@ -61,20 +61,14 @@ module MergeRequests
 
           if matches.any?
             merge_request.reload_code
-            update_merge_request(merge_request)
+            merge_request.mark_as_unchecked
           else
-            update_merge_request(merge_request)
+            merge_request.mark_as_unchecked
           end
         end
       end
     end
 
-    def update_merge_request(merge_request)
-      MergeRequests::UpdateService.new(
-        merge_request.target_project,
-        @current_user, merge_status: 'unchecked').execute(merge_request)
-    end
-
     # Add comment about pushing new commits to merge requests
     def comment_mr_with_commits
       merge_requests = @project.origin_merge_requests.opened.where(source_branch: @branch_name).to_a