diff --git a/companion/src/mdichild.cpp b/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
index b225a3c10f9..24fb61bf187 100644
--- a/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
+++ b/companion/src/mdichild.cpp
@@ -713,7 +713,6 @@ void MdiChild::updateTitle()
 
 void MdiChild::setModified()
 {
-  radioData.models[getCurrentModel()].modelUpdated = true;
   refresh();
   setWindowModified(true);
   emit modified();
@@ -741,7 +740,6 @@ void MdiChild::checkAndInitModel(int row)
 {
   if (row < (int)radioData.models.size() && radioData.models[row].isEmpty()) {
     radioData.models[row].setDefaultValues(row, radioData.generalSettings);
-    setModified();
   }
 }
 
@@ -829,9 +827,8 @@ int MdiChild::newModel(int modelIndex)
   if (countUsedModels() == 1) {
     radioData.setCurrentModel(modelIndex);
   }
-
+  setModelModified(modelIndex);
   setSelectedModel(modelIndex);
-  setModified();
 
   if (isNewModel) {
     if (g.newModelAction() == AppData::MODEL_ACT_WIZARD)
@@ -990,6 +987,7 @@ void MdiChild::pasteModelData(const QMimeData * mimeData, const QModelIndex row,
       strcpy(radioData.models[modelIdx].filename, radioData.getNextModelFilename().toStdString().c_str());
       lastSelectedModel = modelIdx;  // after refresh the last pasted model will be selected
       modified = true;
+      setModelModified(modelIdx, false);  // avoid unnecessary refreshes
       if (doMove) {
         deletesList.append(origMdlIdx);
         removeModelFromCutList(origMdlIdx);
@@ -1178,7 +1176,7 @@ void MdiChild::openModelWizard(int row)
   int res = wizard->exec();
   if (res == QDialog::Accepted && wizard->mix.complete /*TODO rather test the exec() result?*/) {
     radioData.models[row] = wizard->mix;
-    setModified();
+    setModelModified(row);
     setSelectedModel(row);
   }
 }
@@ -1203,7 +1201,7 @@ void MdiChild::openModelEditWindow(int row)
   ModelEdit * t = new ModelEdit(this, radioData, (row), firmware);
   gStopwatch.report("ModelEdit created");
   t->setWindowTitle(tr("Editing model %1: ").arg(row+1) + QString(model.name) + QString("   (%1)").arg(userFriendlyCurrentFile()));
-  connect(t, &ModelEdit::modified, this, &MdiChild::setModified);
+  connect(t, &ModelEdit::modified, this, &MdiChild::setCurrentModelModified);
   gStopwatch.report("STARTING MODEL EDIT");
   t->show();
   QApplication::restoreOverrideCursor();
@@ -1673,6 +1671,8 @@ void MdiChild::openModelTemplate(int row)
   for (int i = 0; i < CPN_MAX_MODULES; i++) {
     radioData.models[row].moduleData[i].modelId = row + 1;
   }
+
+  setModelModified(row);
 }
 
 void MdiChild::openModelPrompt(int row)
@@ -1827,3 +1827,17 @@ void MdiChild::exportSelectedModels()
 {
   exportModels(getSelectedModels());
 }
+
+void MdiChild::setCurrentModelModified()
+{
+  setModelModified(getCurrentModel());
+}
+
+void MdiChild::setModelModified(const int modelIndex, bool cascade)
+{
+  if (modelIndex >= 0 && modelIndex < (int)radioData.models.size()) {
+    radioData.models[modelIndex].modelUpdated = true;
+    if (cascade)
+      setModified();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/companion/src/mdichild.h b/companion/src/mdichild.h
index e700a0d3a0e..76f3979b597 100644
--- a/companion/src/mdichild.h
+++ b/companion/src/mdichild.h
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ class MdiChild : public QWidget
     void updateNavigation();
     void updateTitle();
     void setModified();
+    void setCurrentModelModified();
     void retranslateUi();
     void showModelsListContextMenu(const QPoint & pos);
     void showLabelsContextMenu(const QPoint & pos);
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ class MdiChild : public QWidget
     const quint16 stateDataVersion;
     AbstractStaticItemModel* modelSortOrderItemModel;
     QComboBox* cboModelSortOrder;
+    void setModelModified(const int modelIndex, bool cascade = true);
 };
 
 // This will draw the drop indicator across all columns of a model View (vs. in just one column), and lets us make the indicator more obvious.