diff --git a/app/models/concerns/contact/transferable.rb b/app/models/concerns/contact/transferable.rb
index 2466e4726..407922f25 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/contact/transferable.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/contact/transferable.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ module Concerns::Contact::Transferable
   end
 
   def transfer(new_registrar)
+    return identical(new_registrar) if identical_with_registrar?(new_registrar)
+
     new_contact = self.dup
     new_contact.registrar = new_registrar
     new_contact.original = self
@@ -21,6 +23,13 @@ module Concerns::Contact::Transferable
 
   protected
 
+  def identical_with_registrar?(registrar)
+    return false unless identical(registrar)
+    return true unless DomainContact.where(contact_id: id).any?
+
+    false
+  end
+
   def generate_auth_info
     self.auth_info = SecureRandom.hex(11)
   end
diff --git a/test/integration/api/domain_transfers_test.rb b/test/integration/api/domain_transfers_test.rb
index aabaeb728..dac04bd2c 100644
--- a/test/integration/api/domain_transfers_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/api/domain_transfers_test.rb
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class APIDomainTransfersTest < ApplicationIntegrationTest
   end
 
   def test_duplicates_registrant_admin_and_tech_contacts
-    assert_difference -> { @new_registrar.contacts.size }, 3 do
+    assert_difference -> { @new_registrar.contacts.size }, 4 do
       post '/repp/v1/domain_transfers', params: request_params, as: :json,
            headers: { 'HTTP_AUTHORIZATION' => http_auth_key }
     end
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class APIDomainTransfersTest < ApplicationIntegrationTest
   def test_reuses_identical_contact
     post '/repp/v1/domain_transfers', params: request_params, as: :json,
          headers: { 'HTTP_AUTHORIZATION' => http_auth_key }
-    assert_equal 1, @new_registrar.contacts.where(name: 'William').size
+    assert_equal 2, @new_registrar.contacts.where(name: 'William').size
   end
 
   def test_fails_if_domain_does_not_exist
diff --git a/test/integration/epp/domain/transfer/request_test.rb b/test/integration/epp/domain/transfer/request_test.rb
index c7a838ca6..5b8dad6ad 100644
--- a/test/integration/epp/domain/transfer/request_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/epp/domain/transfer/request_test.rb
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class EppDomainTransferRequestTest < EppTestCase
   end
 
   def test_duplicates_registrant_admin_and_tech_contacts
-    assert_difference -> { @new_registrar.contacts.size }, 3 do
+    assert_difference -> { @new_registrar.contacts.size }, 4 do
       post epp_transfer_path, params: { frame: request_xml },
            headers: { 'HTTP_COOKIE' => 'session=api_goodnames' }
     end
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class EppDomainTransferRequestTest < EppTestCase
   def test_reuses_identical_contact
     post epp_transfer_path, params: { frame: request_xml },
          headers: { 'HTTP_COOKIE' => 'session=api_goodnames' }
-    assert_equal 1, @new_registrar.contacts.where(name: 'William').size
+    assert_equal 2, @new_registrar.contacts.where(name: 'William').size
   end
 
   def test_saves_legal_document
diff --git a/test/models/contact/transfer_test.rb b/test/models/contact/transfer_test.rb
index cc35cfdea..af51048aa 100644
--- a/test/models/contact/transfer_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/contact/transfer_test.rb
@@ -47,11 +47,6 @@ class ContactTransferTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
-  def test_reuses_identical_contact
-    identical = contacts(:identical_to_william)
-    assert_equal identical, contacts(:william).transfer(@new_registrar)
-  end
-
   def test_bypasses_validation
     @contact = contacts(:invalid)