diff --git a/packages/loot-core/src/server/sync/index.ts b/packages/loot-core/src/server/sync/index.ts
index 81a4679df7c..843da6e4480 100644
--- a/packages/loot-core/src/server/sync/index.ts
+++ b/packages/loot-core/src/server/sync/index.ts
@@ -768,11 +768,15 @@ async function _fullSync(
       ),
     );
   } else {
-    // All synced up, store the current time as a simple optimization
-    // for the next sync
-    await prefs.savePrefs({
-      lastSyncedTimestamp: getClock().timestamp.toString(),
-    });
+    // All synced up, store the current time as a simple optimization for the next sync
+    const requiresUpdate =
+      getClock().timestamp.toString() !== lastSyncedTimestamp;
+
+    if (requiresUpdate) {
+      await prefs.savePrefs({
+        lastSyncedTimestamp: getClock().timestamp.toString(),
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   return receivedMessages;
diff --git a/upcoming-release-notes/3398.md b/upcoming-release-notes/3398.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..77d83012409
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming-release-notes/3398.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+category: Maintenance
+authors: [MikesGlitch]
+---
+
+Prevent sync from saving to metadata.json unnecessarily