diff --git a/packages/client/src/automerge-editor.ts b/packages/client/src/automerge-editor.ts
index dccab63..4cfbe8f 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/automerge-editor.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/automerge-editor.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ export const AutomergeEditor = {
       if (operations.length) {
         const slateOps = toSlateOp(operations, current)
 
+        // do not change isRemote flag for no-op case.
+        const wasRemote = e.isRemote
         e.isRemote = true
 
         Editor.withoutNormalizing(e, () => {
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ export const AutomergeEditor = {
           // XXX: only schedule set isRemote false when we did scheduled onChange by apply.
           Promise.resolve().then(_ => (e.isRemote = false))
         } else {
-          e.isRemote = false
+          e.isRemote = wasRemote
         }
       }
     } catch (e) {