diff --git a/lib/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers.rake b/lib/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers.rake
index aff296d83..6f6aaebe2 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers.rake
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@ namespace :data_migrations do
       Registrar.all.each do |registrar|
         next unless registrar.reference_no.start_with?('RF')
 
-        registrar.reference_no = Billing::ReferenceNo.generate
-        registrar.save!
-
+        registrar.update_columns(reference_no: Billing::ReferenceNo.generate)
         processed_registrar_count += 1
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/integration/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers_test.rb b/test/integration/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers_test.rb
index 7700b3fb6..c496cd95b 100644
--- a/test/integration/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/tasks/data_migrations/regenerate_registrar_reference_numbers_test.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ class RegenerateRegistrarReferenceNumbersTaskTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_not registrar.reference_no.start_with?('RF')
   end
 
+  def test_bypasses_registrar_validation
+    registrar = registrars(:invalid)
+    registrar.update_column(:reference_no, 'RF1111')
+    assert registrar.invalid?
+
+    capture_io { run_task }
+    registrar.reload
+
+    assert_not registrar.reference_no.start_with?('RF')
+  end
+
   def test_does_not_regenerate_when_the_task_is_run_again
     registrar = registrars(:bestnames)
     registrar.update!(reference_no: '1111')