diff --git a/server/models/MediaProgress.js b/server/models/MediaProgress.js
index 0ebe2f598..1638a3e4c 100644
--- a/server/models/MediaProgress.js
+++ b/server/models/MediaProgress.js
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class MediaProgress extends Model {
    * @param {import('./User').ProgressUpdatePayload} progressPayload
    * @returns {Promise<MediaProgress>}
    */
-  async applyProgressUpdate(progressPayload) {
+  applyProgressUpdate(progressPayload) {
     if (!this.extraData) this.extraData = {}
     if (progressPayload.isFinished !== undefined) {
       if (progressPayload.isFinished && !this.isFinished) {
@@ -243,23 +243,14 @@ class MediaProgress extends Model {
       this.finishedAt = null
     }
 
-    await this.save()
-
     // For local sync
     if (progressPayload.lastUpdate) {
-      if (isNaN(new Date(progressPayload.lastUpdate))) {
-        Logger.warn(`[MediaProgress] Invalid date provided for lastUpdate: ${progressPayload.lastUpdate} (media item ${this.mediaItemId})`)
-      } else {
-        const escapedDate = this.sequelize.escape(new Date(progressPayload.lastUpdate))
-        Logger.info(`[MediaProgress] Manually setting updatedAt to ${escapedDate} (media item ${this.mediaItemId})`)
-
-        await this.sequelize.query(`UPDATE "mediaProgresses" SET "updatedAt" = ${escapedDate} WHERE "id" = '${this.id}'`)
-
-        await this.reload()
-      }
+      this.updatedAt = progressPayload.lastUpdate
+      Logger.info(`[MediaProgress] Manually setting updatedAt to ${this.updatedAt} (media item ${this.mediaItemId})`)
+      this.changed('updatedAt', true)
     }
 
-    return this
+    return this.save({ silent: !!progressPayload.lastUpdate })
   }
 }