diff --git a/packages/backend/migration/1750217001651-enable-instance-HOT-updates.js b/packages/backend/migration/1750217001651-enable-instance-HOT-updates.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..995c3ed445
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/migration/1750217001651-enable-instance-HOT-updates.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: hazelnoot and other Sharkey contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+ */
+
+// https://www.cybertec-postgresql.com/en/hot-updates-in-postgresql-for-better-performance/
+
+/**
+ * @typedef {import('typeorm').MigrationInterface} MigrationInterface
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @class
+ * @implements {MigrationInterface}
+ */
+export class EnableInstanceHOTUpdates1750217001651 {
+	name = 'EnableInstanceHOTUpdates1750217001651';
+
+	async up(queryRunner) {
+		await queryRunner.query(`ALTER TABLE "instance" SET (fillfactor = 50)`);
+
+		// Vacuum can't run inside a transaction block, so query directly from the connection.
+		await queryRunner.connection.query(`VACUUM (FULL, VERBOSE) "instance"`);
+	}
+
+	async down(queryRunner) {
+		await queryRunner.query(`ALTER TABLE "instance" SET (fillfactor = 100)`);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/core/FetchInstanceMetadataService.ts b/packages/backend/src/core/FetchInstanceMetadataService.ts
index 0ba61ce4f9..855ecd7553 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/core/FetchInstanceMetadataService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/core/FetchInstanceMetadataService.ts
@@ -132,18 +132,21 @@ export class FetchInstanceMetadataService {
 			} as Record<string, any>;
 
 			if (info) {
-				updates.softwareName = typeof info.software?.name === 'string' ? info.software.name.toLowerCase() : '?';
-				updates.softwareVersion = info.software?.version;
-				updates.openRegistrations = info.openRegistrations;
-				updates.maintainerName = info.metadata ? info.metadata.maintainer ? (info.metadata.maintainer.name ?? null) : null : null;
-				updates.maintainerEmail = info.metadata ? info.metadata.maintainer ? (info.metadata.maintainer.email ?? null) : null : null;
+				const softwareName = typeof info.software?.name === 'string' ? info.software.name.toLowerCase() : '?';
+				if (softwareName !== instance.softwareName) updates.softwareName = updates.softwareVersion = info.software?.version;
+				if (info.openRegistrations !== instance.openRegistrations) updates.openRegistrations = info.openRegistrations;
+				const maintainerName = info.metadata ? info.metadata.maintainer ? (info.metadata.maintainer.name ?? null) : null : null;
+				if (maintainerName !== instance.maintainerName) updates.maintainerName = maintainerName;
+				const maintainerEmail = info.metadata ? info.metadata.maintainer ? (info.metadata.maintainer.email ?? null) : null : null;
+				if (maintainerEmail !== instance.maintainerEmail) updates.maintainerEmail = maintainerEmail;
 			}
 
-			if (name) updates.name = name;
-			if (description) updates.description = description;
-			if (icon ?? favicon) updates.iconUrl = (icon && !icon.includes('data:image/png;base64')) ? icon : favicon;
-			if (favicon) updates.faviconUrl = favicon;
-			if (themeColor) updates.themeColor = themeColor;
+			if (name !== instance.name) updates.name = name;
+			if (description !== instance.description) updates.description = description;
+			const iconUrl = (icon && !icon.includes('data:image/png;base64')) ? icon : favicon;
+			if (iconUrl !== instance.iconUrl) updates.iconUrl = iconUrl;
+			if (favicon !== instance.faviconUrl) updates.faviconUrl = favicon;
+			if (themeColor !== instance.themeColor) updates.themeColor = themeColor;
 
 			await this.federatedInstanceService.update(instance.id, updates);