diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
index 5fd9fd10b3..0a60316170 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
@@ -34,21 +34,21 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 		super(meta, paramDef, async (ps, me) => {
 			const instance = await this.federatedInstanceService.fetchOrRegister(ps.host);
 
+			// Collapse empty strings to null
+			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const oldCW = instance.mandatoryCW;
+
 			// Skip if there's nothing to do
-			if (instance.mandatoryCW === ps.cw) return;
+			if (oldCW === newCW) return;
+
+			// This synchronizes caches automatically
+			await this.federatedInstanceService.update(instance.id, { mandatoryCW: newCW });
 
-			// Log event first.
-			// This ensures that we don't "lose" the log if an error occurs
 			await this.moderationLogService.log(me, 'setMandatoryCWForInstance', {
-				newCW: ps.cw,
-				oldCW: instance.mandatoryCW,
+				newCW,
+				oldCW,
 				host: ps.host,
 			});
-
-			await this.federatedInstanceService.update(instance.id, {
-				// Collapse empty strings to null
-				mandatoryCW: ps.cw || null,
-			});
 		});
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
index cf513a4922..e036c2e530 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
@@ -43,23 +43,22 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 			}) as MiNote & { user: MiUser };
 
 			// Collapse empty strings to null
-			const mandatoryCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const oldCW = note.mandatoryCW;
 
 			// Skip if there's nothing to do
-			if (note.mandatoryCW === mandatoryCW) return;
+			if (oldCW === newCW) return;
+
+			await this.noteEditService.edit(note.user, note.id, { mandatoryCW: newCW });
 
-			// Log event first.
-			// This ensures that we don't "lose" the log if an error occurs
 			await this.moderationLogService.log(me, 'setMandatoryCWForNote', {
-				newCW: mandatoryCW,
-				oldCW: note.mandatoryCW,
+				newCW,
+				oldCW,
 				noteId: note.id,
 				noteUserId: note.user.id,
 				noteUserUsername: note.user.username,
 				noteUserHost: note.user.host,
 			});
-
-			await this.noteEditService.edit(note.user, note.id, { mandatoryCW });
 		});
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
index 37480e9302..a318f830cf 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
@@ -41,20 +41,21 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 		super(meta, paramDef, async (ps, me) => {
 			const user = await this.cacheService.findUserById(ps.userId);
 
-			// Skip if there's nothing to do
-			if (user.mandatoryCW === ps.cw) return;
+			// Collapse empty strings to null
+			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const oldCW = user.mandatoryCW;
 
-			await this.usersRepository.update(ps.userId, {
-				// Collapse empty strings to null
-				mandatoryCW: ps.cw || null,
-			});
+			// Skip if there's nothing to do
+			if (oldCW === newCW) return;
+
+			await this.usersRepository.update(ps.userId, { mandatoryCW: newCW });
 
 			// Synchronize caches and other processes
 			this.globalEventService.publishInternalEvent('localUserUpdated', { id: ps.userId });
 
 			await this.moderationLogService.log(me, 'setMandatoryCW', {
-				newCW: ps.cw,
-				oldCW: user.mandatoryCW,
+				newCW,
+				oldCW,
 				userId: user.id,
 				userUsername: user.username,
 				userHost: user.host,