diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs.go b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs.go
index 504ee300..a5bb4b6c 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs.go
@@ -247,8 +247,22 @@ func (db *DB) FetchTask(ctx context.Context, taskUUID string) (*Task, error) {
 }
 
 func (db *DB) SaveTask(ctx context.Context, t *Task) error {
-	if err := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).Save(t).Error; err != nil {
-		return taskError(err, "saving task")
+	tx := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).
+		Omit("job").
+		Omit("worker").
+		Save(t)
+	if tx.Error != nil {
+		return taskError(tx.Error, "saving task")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (db *DB) SaveTaskStatus(ctx context.Context, t *Task) error {
+	tx := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).
+		Select("Status").
+		Save(t)
+	if tx.Error != nil {
+		return taskError(tx.Error, "saving task")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -265,7 +279,9 @@ func (db *DB) SaveTaskActivity(ctx context.Context, t *Task) error {
 
 func (db *DB) TaskAssignToWorker(ctx context.Context, t *Task, w *Worker) error {
 	tx := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).
-		Model(t).Updates(Task{WorkerID: &w.ID})
+		Model(t).
+		Select("WorkerID").
+		Updates(Task{WorkerID: &w.ID})
 	if tx.Error != nil {
 		return taskError(tx.Error, "assigning task %s to worker %s", t.UUID, w.UUID)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler.go b/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler.go
index cc5c714c..15e6af7f 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler.go
@@ -149,5 +149,6 @@ func findTaskForWorker(tx *gorm.DB, w *Worker) (*Task, error) {
 
 func assignTaskToWorker(tx *gorm.DB, w *Worker, t *Task) error {
 	return tx.Model(t).
+		Select("WorkerID", "LastTouchedAt").
 		Updates(Task{WorkerID: &w.ID, LastTouchedAt: tx.NowFunc()}).Error
 }
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/interfaces.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/interfaces.go
index 39d1a954..5da02774 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/interfaces.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/interfaces.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 type PersistenceService interface {
 	SaveTask(ctx context.Context, task *persistence.Task) error
+	SaveTaskStatus(ctx context.Context, t *persistence.Task) error
 	SaveTaskActivity(ctx context.Context, t *persistence.Task) error
 	SaveJobStatus(ctx context.Context, j *persistence.Job) error
 
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/mocks/interfaces_mock.gen.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/mocks/interfaces_mock.gen.go
index 92503fe4..e288324d 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/mocks/interfaces_mock.gen.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/mocks/interfaces_mock.gen.go
@@ -165,6 +165,20 @@ func (mr *MockPersistenceServiceMockRecorder) SaveTaskActivity(arg0, arg1 interf
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "SaveTaskActivity", reflect.TypeOf((*MockPersistenceService)(nil).SaveTaskActivity), arg0, arg1)
 }
 
+// SaveTaskStatus mocks base method.
+func (m *MockPersistenceService) SaveTaskStatus(arg0 context.Context, arg1 *persistence.Task) error {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "SaveTaskStatus", arg0, arg1)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(error)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// SaveTaskStatus indicates an expected call of SaveTaskStatus.
+func (mr *MockPersistenceServiceMockRecorder) SaveTaskStatus(arg0, arg1 interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "SaveTaskStatus", reflect.TypeOf((*MockPersistenceService)(nil).SaveTaskStatus), arg0, arg1)
+}
+
 // UpdateJobsTaskStatuses mocks base method.
 func (m *MockPersistenceService) UpdateJobsTaskStatuses(arg0 context.Context, arg1 *persistence.Job, arg2 api.TaskStatus, arg3 string) error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
index 08ef5135..915a4eca 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (sm *StateMachine) taskStatusChangeOnly(
 		Logger()
 	logger.Debug().Msg("task state changed")
 
-	if err := sm.persist.SaveTask(ctx, task); err != nil {
+	if err := sm.persist.SaveTaskStatus(ctx, task); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("saving task to database: %w", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine_test.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine_test.go
index ad2898b0..403c6e91 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine_test.go
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ func (m *StateMachineMocks) expectSaveTaskWithStatus(
 	expectTaskStatus api.TaskStatus,
 ) *gomock.Call {
 	return m.persist.EXPECT().
-		SaveTask(gomock.Any(), task).
+		SaveTaskStatus(gomock.Any(), task).
 		DoAndReturn(func(ctx context.Context, savedTask *persistence.Task) error {
 			assert.Equal(t, expectTaskStatus, savedTask.Status)
 			return nil
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/worker_requeue_test.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/worker_requeue_test.go
index ad0070e8..0a1b4544 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/worker_requeue_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/worker_requeue_test.go
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ func TestRequeueActiveTasksOfWorker(t *testing.T) {
 	// Expect this re-queueing to end up in the task's log and activity.
 	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTaskActivity(ctx, task1) // TODO: test saved activity value
 	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTaskActivity(ctx, task2) // TODO: test saved activity value
-	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTask(ctx, task1)         // TODO: test saved task status
-	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTask(ctx, task2)         // TODO: test saved task status
+	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTaskStatus(ctx, task1)   // TODO: test saved task status
+	mocks.persist.EXPECT().SaveTaskStatus(ctx, task2)   // TODO: test saved task status
 
 	logMsg := "Task was requeued by Manager because worker had to test"
 	mocks.logStorage.EXPECT().WriteTimestamped(gomock.Any(), task1.Job.UUID, task1.UUID, logMsg)