diff --git a/scripts/clean.js b/scripts/clean.js
index cb5ecced2..6b372cf2a 100644
--- a/scripts/clean.js
+++ b/scripts/clean.js
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ async function checkStatus(playlist) {
   if (playlist.channels.length !== channels.length) {
     log.print(`File '${playlist.url}' has been updated\n`)
     playlist.channels = channels
+    playlist.updated = true
   }
 
   return playlist
diff --git a/scripts/detect-resolution.js b/scripts/detect-resolution.js
index 57c33267c..5c01841f5 100644
--- a/scripts/detect-resolution.js
+++ b/scripts/detect-resolution.js
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ async function detectResolution(playlist) {
   if (updated) {
     log.print(`File '${playlist.url}' has been updated\n`)
     playlist.channels = channels
+    playlist.updated = true
   }
 
   return playlist
diff --git a/scripts/format.js b/scripts/format.js
index b687eed2f..0fa233f3f 100644
--- a/scripts/format.js
+++ b/scripts/format.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ async function sortChannels(playlist) {
   if (JSON.stringify(playlist.channels) !== JSON.stringify(channels)) {
     log.print('updated')
     playlist.channels = channels
+    playlist.updated = true
   }
 
   return playlist
diff --git a/scripts/helpers/Playlist.js b/scripts/helpers/Playlist.js
index 5b26b4ac2..aaaf676ff 100644
--- a/scripts/helpers/Playlist.js
+++ b/scripts/helpers/Playlist.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ module.exports = class Playlist {
     this.channels = items
       .map(item => new Channel({ data: item, header, sourceUrl: url }))
       .filter(channel => channel.url)
+    this.updated = false
   }
 
   toString(options = {}) {
@@ -31,10 +32,8 @@ module.exports = class Playlist {
   }
 
   save() {
-    const original = file.read(this.url)
-    const output = this.toString()
-    if (original !== output) {
-      file.create(this.url, output)
+    if (this.updated) {
+      file.create(this.url, this.toString())
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/remove-duplicates.js b/scripts/remove-duplicates.js
index f2d62e919..650fbab47 100644
--- a/scripts/remove-duplicates.js
+++ b/scripts/remove-duplicates.js
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ async function removeDuplicates(playlist) {
   if (playlist.channels.length !== channels.length) {
     log.print('updated')
     playlist.channels = channels
+    playlist.updated = true
   }
 
   return playlist
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ async function removeUnsortedDuplicates(playlist) {
   if (channels.length !== playlist.channels.length) {
     log.print('updated')
     playlist.channels = channels
+    playlist.updated = true
   }
 
   return playlist