diff --git a/app/controllers/result_orderable_elements_controller.rb b/app/controllers/result_orderable_elements_controller.rb
index c129836cb..a1b98162b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/result_orderable_elements_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/result_orderable_elements_controller.rb
@@ -5,15 +5,18 @@ class ResultOrderableElementsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :check_manage_permissions
 
   def reorder
+    position_changed = false
     ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
       params[:result_orderable_element_positions].each do |id, position|
         result_element = @result.result_orderable_elements.find(id)
-        result_element.insert_at(position)
+        position_changed ||= result_element.insert_at(position)
       end
     end
 
-    log_activity(:result_content_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
-    @result.touch
+    if position_changed
+      log_activity(:result_content_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
+      @result.touch
+    end
 
     render json: params[:result_orderable_element_positions], status: :ok
   rescue ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid
diff --git a/app/controllers/step_orderable_elements_controller.rb b/app/controllers/step_orderable_elements_controller.rb
index 801c6fbac..d4e322dd9 100644
--- a/app/controllers/step_orderable_elements_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/step_orderable_elements_controller.rb
@@ -6,16 +6,23 @@ class StepOrderableElementsController < ApplicationController
 
   def reorder
     @step.with_lock do
+      position_changed = false
       params[:step_orderable_element_positions].each do |id, position|
-        @step.step_orderable_elements.find(id).update_column(:position, position)
+        step_element = @step.step_orderable_elements.find(id)
+        if step_element.position != position
+          position_changed = true
+          step_element.update_column(:position, position)
+        end
       end
 
-      if @protocol.in_module?
-        log_activity(:task_step_content_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
-      else
-        log_activity(:protocol_step_content_rearranged, nil, protocol: @protocol.id)
+      if position_changed
+        if @protocol.in_module?
+          log_activity(:task_step_content_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
+        else
+          log_activity(:protocol_step_content_rearranged, nil, protocol: @protocol.id)
+        end
+        @step.touch
       end
-      @step.touch
     end
 
     render json: params[:step_orderable_element_positions], status: :ok
diff --git a/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb b/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
index c2b1c0764..40f2845f5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
@@ -241,16 +241,23 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
 
   def reorder
     @protocol.with_lock do
+      position_changed = false
       params[:step_positions].each do |id, position|
-        @protocol.steps.find(id).update_column(:position, position)
+        step = @protocol.steps.find(id)
+        if position != step.position
+          position_changed = true
+          step.update_column(:position, position)
+        end
       end
 
-      if @protocol.in_module?
-        log_activity(:task_steps_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
-      else
-        log_activity(:protocol_steps_rearranged, nil, protocol: @protocol.id)
+      if position_changed
+        if @protocol.in_module?
+          log_activity(:task_steps_rearranged, @my_module.experiment.project, my_module: @my_module.id)
+        else
+          log_activity(:protocol_steps_rearranged, nil, protocol: @protocol.id)
+        end
+        @protocol.touch
       end
-      @protocol.touch
     end
 
     render json: {