diff --git a/erpnext/stock/doctype/item/item.py b/erpnext/stock/doctype/item/item.py
index 7f077cfd4dd..fb2a7ee95f8 100644
--- a/erpnext/stock/doctype/item/item.py
+++ b/erpnext/stock/doctype/item/item.py
@@ -837,7 +837,17 @@ class Item(Document):
 				frappe.throw(_("Item {0} is not a template item.").format(frappe.bold(self.variant_of)))
 
 			if based_on == "Item Attribute":
+				previous_doc = self.get_doc_before_save()
+				saved_attributes = (
+					{(row.attribute, row.attribute_value) for row in previous_doc.attributes}
+					if previous_doc
+					else set()
+				)
+
 				for d in self.attributes:
+					if (d.attribute, d.attribute_value) in saved_attributes:
+						continue
+
 					if not frappe.db.exists(
 						"Item Variant Attribute", {"attribute": d.attribute, "parent": self.variant_of}
 					):