diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 88599ab75c4..f1ac710e8e9 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -209,8 +209,10 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
 
     increment(:sign_in_count) if new_sign_in
 
-    save(validate: false) unless new_record?
-    prepare_returning_user!
+    unless new_record?
+      save(validate: false)
+      prepare_returning_user!
+    end
   end
 
   def pending?
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 4ea2e6a79ca..187f05f02e8 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -208,9 +208,13 @@ RSpec.describe User do
     context 'with a new user' do
       let(:user) { Fabricate.build :user }
 
+      before { allow(ActivityTracker).to receive(:record) }
+
       it 'does not persist the user' do
         expect { user.update_sign_in! }
           .to_not change(user, :persisted?).from(false)
+        expect(ActivityTracker)
+          .to_not have_received(:record).with('activity:logins', anything)
       end
     end
   end