diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/registrar/Registrar.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/registrar/Registrar.java
index b85ceceff..69e71ac44 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/registrar/Registrar.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/registrar/Registrar.java
@@ -825,7 +825,6 @@ public class Registrar extends ImmutableObject
 
     public Builder setAllowedTlds(Set<String> allowedTlds) {
       getInstance().allowedTlds = ImmutableSortedSet.copyOf(assertTldsExist(allowedTlds));
-      getInstance().lastUpdateTime = UpdateAutoTimestamp.create(null);
       return this;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/testing/DatabaseHelper.java b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/testing/DatabaseHelper.java
index 564ae6b3c..753c3bd99 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/testing/DatabaseHelper.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/testing/DatabaseHelper.java
@@ -472,8 +472,10 @@ public class DatabaseHelper {
 
   public static void allowRegistrarAccess(String registrarId, String tld) {
     Registrar registrar = loadRegistrar(registrarId);
-    persistResource(
-        registrar.asBuilder().setAllowedTlds(union(registrar.getAllowedTlds(), tld)).build());
+    if (!registrar.getAllowedTlds().contains(tld)) {
+      persistResource(
+          registrar.asBuilder().setAllowedTlds(union(registrar.getAllowedTlds(), tld)).build());
+    }
   }
 
   public static void disallowRegistrarAccess(String registrarId, String tld) {