diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/create_preload_data.py b/awx/main/management/commands/create_preload_data.py
index c487db83a5..b7443401fd 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/create_preload_data.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/create_preload_data.py
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             superuser = None
         with impersonate(superuser):
             o = Organization.objects.create(name='Default')
-            p = Project.objects.create(name='Demo Project',
-                                       scm_type='git',
-                                       scm_url='https://github.com/ansible/ansible-tower-samples',
-                                       scm_update_on_launch=True,
-                                       scm_update_cache_timeout=0,
-                                       organization=o)
+            p = Project(name='Demo Project',
+                        scm_type='git',
+                        scm_url='https://github.com/ansible/ansible-tower-samples',
+                        scm_update_on_launch=True,
+                        scm_update_cache_timeout=0,
+                        organization=o)
+            p.save(skip_update=True)
             c = Credential.objects.create(name='Demo Credential',
                                           username=superuser.username,
                                           created_by=superuser)
diff --git a/awx/main/models/projects.py b/awx/main/models/projects.py
index 0e74feb1bc..457bed302b 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/projects.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/projects.py
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ class Project(UnifiedJobTemplate, ProjectOptions, ResourceMixin):
         # If update_fields has been specified, add our field names to it,
         # if it hasn't been specified, then we're just doing a normal save.
         update_fields = kwargs.get('update_fields', [])
+        skip_update = bool(kwargs.pop('skip_update', False))
         # Check if scm_type or scm_url changes.
         if self.pk:
             project_before = self.__class__.objects.get(pk=self.pk)
@@ -279,7 +280,7 @@ class Project(UnifiedJobTemplate, ProjectOptions, ResourceMixin):
             if update_fields:
                 self.save(update_fields=update_fields)
         # If we just created a new project with SCM, start the initial update.
-        if new_instance and self.scm_type:
+        if new_instance and self.scm_type and not skip_update:
             self.update()
 
     def _get_current_status(self):