diff --git a/server/service/service_osquery.go b/server/service/service_osquery.go
index c3ac3cd6a6..6b773a123e 100644
--- a/server/service/service_osquery.go
+++ b/server/service/service_osquery.go
@@ -494,11 +494,13 @@ func (svc service) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results ko
 		return osqueryError{message: "failed to update host seen: " + err.Error()}
 	}
 
+	detailUpdated := false
 	labelResults := map[string]bool{}
 	for query, rows := range results {
 		switch {
 		case strings.HasPrefix(query, hostDetailQueryPrefix):
 			err = svc.ingestDetailQuery(&host, query, rows)
+			detailUpdated = true
 		case strings.HasPrefix(query, hostLabelQueryPrefix):
 			err = svc.ingestLabelQuery(host, query, rows, labelResults)
 		case strings.HasPrefix(query, hostDistributedQueryPrefix):
@@ -524,10 +526,15 @@ func (svc service) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results ko
 		}
 	}
 
-	host.DetailUpdateTime = svc.clock.Now()
-	err = svc.ds.SaveHost(&host)
-	if err != nil {
-		return osqueryError{message: "failed to update host details: " + err.Error()}
+	if detailUpdated {
+		host.DetailUpdateTime = svc.clock.Now()
+	}
+
+	if len(labelResults) > 0 || detailUpdated {
+		err = svc.ds.SaveHost(&host)
+		if err != nil {
+			return osqueryError{message: "failed to update host details: " + err.Error()}
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/server/service/service_osquery_test.go b/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
index ad1a1dfa7d..9094a7d9cd 100644
--- a/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
+++ b/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
@@ -590,9 +590,12 @@ func TestDetailQueries(t *testing.T) {
 	// uptime
 	assert.Equal(t, 1730893*time.Second, host.Uptime)
 
-	ctx = hostctx.NewContext(ctx, *host)
+	mockClock.AddTime(1 * time.Minute)
 
 	// Now no detail queries should be required
+	host, err = ds.AuthenticateHost(nodeKey)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	ctx = hostctx.NewContext(ctx, *host)
 	queries, err = svc.GetDistributedQueries(ctx)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.Len(t, queries, 0)
@@ -600,6 +603,12 @@ func TestDetailQueries(t *testing.T) {
 	// Advance clock and queries should exist again
 	mockClock.AddTime(1*time.Hour + 1*time.Minute)
 
+	err = svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults{}, map[string]string{})
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	host, err = ds.AuthenticateHost(nodeKey)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
+	ctx = hostctx.NewContext(ctx, *host)
 	queries, err = svc.GetDistributedQueries(ctx)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.Len(t, queries, len(detailQueries))