diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/ContentService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/ContentService.cs
index 92f6223816..5e3d17c75d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/ContentService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/ContentService.cs
@@ -1215,6 +1215,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services
                     int i = 0;
                     foreach (var content in items)
                     {
+                        //If the current sort order equals that of the content
+                        //we don't need to update it, so just increment the sort order
+                        //and continue.
+                        if (content.SortOrder == i)
+                        {
+                            i++;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+
                         content.SortOrder = i;
                         content.WriterId = userId;
                         i++;
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/MediaService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/MediaService.cs
index 91f90c0c99..292cb2ca8f 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/MediaService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/MediaService.cs
@@ -788,6 +788,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services
                     int i = 0;
                     foreach (var media in items)
                     {
+                        //If the current sort order equals that of the media
+                        //we don't need to update it, so just increment the sort order
+                        //and continue.
+                        if (media.SortOrder == i)
+                        {
+                            i++;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+
                         media.SortOrder = i;
                         i++;