diff --git a/picard/util/imagelist.py b/picard/util/imagelist.py
index 15a00a435..c01abc415 100644
--- a/picard/util/imagelist.py
+++ b/picard/util/imagelist.py
@@ -219,9 +219,12 @@ def _add_images(metadata, added_images):
         return
 
     current_images = set(metadata.images)
-    if added_images != current_images:
+    if added_images.isdisjoint(current_images):
         metadata.images = ImageList(current_images.union(added_images))
         metadata.has_common_images = False
+        return True
+
+    return False
 
 
 def add_metadata_images(obj, added_sources):
@@ -233,11 +236,14 @@ def add_metadata_images(obj, added_sources):
     """
     state = _get_state(obj)
     (added_new_images, added_orig_images) = _get_metadata_images(state, added_sources)
+    changed = False
 
     if state.update_new_metadata:
-        _add_images(obj.metadata, added_new_images)
+        changed |= _add_images(obj.metadata, added_new_images)
     if state.update_orig_metadata:
-        _add_images(obj.orig_metadata, added_orig_images)
+        changed |= _add_images(obj.orig_metadata, added_orig_images)
+
+    return changed
 
 
 def _remove_images(metadata, sources, removed_images):
diff --git a/test/test_imagelist.py b/test/test_imagelist.py
index cd375519e..0b2f74e01 100644
--- a/test/test_imagelist.py
+++ b/test/test_imagelist.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Picard, the next-generation MusicBrainz tagger
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2018-2019 Philipp Wolfer
+# Copyright (C) 2018-2019, 2021 Philipp Wolfer
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2019 Wieland Hoffmann
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2020 Laurent Monin
 #
@@ -239,10 +239,19 @@ class AddMetadataImagesTest(PicardTestCase):
         cluster.files = [self.test_files[0]]
         update_metadata_images(cluster)
         cluster.files += self.test_files[1:]
-        add_metadata_images(cluster, self.test_files[1:])
+        added = add_metadata_images(cluster, self.test_files[1:])
+        self.assertTrue(added)
         self.assertEqual(set(self.test_images), set(cluster.metadata.images))
         self.assertFalse(cluster.metadata.has_common_images)
 
+    def test_add_no_changes(self):
+        cluster = Cluster('Test')
+        cluster.files = self.test_files
+        update_metadata_images(cluster)
+        added = add_metadata_images(cluster, [self.test_files[1]])
+        self.assertFalse(added)
+        self.assertEqual(set(self.test_images), set(cluster.metadata.images))
+
 
 class ImageListTest(PicardTestCase):