diff --git a/packages/kbn-es-query/src/filters/helpers/only_disabled.ts b/packages/kbn-es-query/src/filters/helpers/only_disabled.ts
index d605d8b0be628..73ffc146bae88 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-es-query/src/filters/helpers/only_disabled.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-es-query/src/filters/helpers/only_disabled.ts
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ const isEnabled = (f: Filter) => f && f.meta && !f.meta.disabled;
  *
  * @public
  */
-export const onlyDisabledFiltersChanged = (newFilters?: Filter[], oldFilters?: Filter[]) => {
+export const onlyDisabledFiltersChanged = (newFilters?: Filter[], oldFilters?: Filter[], comparatorOptions?: FilterCompareOptions = COMPARE_ALL_OPTIONS) => {
   // If it's the same - compare only enabled filters
   const newEnabledFilters = filter(newFilters || [], isEnabled);
   const oldEnabledFilters = filter(oldFilters || [], isEnabled);
 
-  return compareFilters(oldEnabledFilters, newEnabledFilters, COMPARE_ALL_OPTIONS);
+  return compareFilters(oldEnabledFilters, newEnabledFilters, comparatorOptions);
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_functions.ts b/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_functions.ts
index 59c5fdfca3334..375b03b73b3f4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_functions.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_functions.ts
@@ -117,7 +117,14 @@ export const unsavedChangesDiffingFunctions: DashboardDiffFunctions = {
   viewMode: () => false, // When compared view mode is always considered unequal so that it gets backed up.
 };
 
+const shouldRefreshFilterCompareOptions = {
+  ...COMPARE_ALL_OPTIONS,
+  // do not compare $state to avoid refreshing when filter is pinned/unpinned (which does not impact results)
+  state: false,
+};
+
 export const shouldRefreshDiffingFunctions: DashboardDiffFunctions = {
   ...unsavedChangesDiffingFunctions,
-  filters: ({ currentValue, lastValue }) => onlyDisabledFiltersChanged(currentValue, lastValue),
+  filters: ({ currentValue, lastValue }) => 
+    onlyDisabledFiltersChanged(lastValue, currentValue, shouldRefreshFilterCompareOptions),
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_integration.test.ts b/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_integration.test.ts
index 65cf2ad39cca4..ca17780f3e803 100644
--- a/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/dashboard/public/dashboard_container/embeddable/integrations/diff_state/dashboard_diffing_integration.test.ts
@@ -48,4 +48,14 @@ describe('getShouldRefresh', () => {
     };
     expect(await getShouldRefresh.bind(dashboardContainerMock)(lastInput, input)).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  test('should return false when pinned filter changes to unpinned', async () => {
+    const lastInput = {
+      filters: [existsFilter],
+    };
+    const input = {
+      filters: [pinFilter(existsFilter)],
+    };
+    expect(await getShouldRefresh.bind(dashboardContainerMock)(lastInput, input)).toBe(false);
+  });
 });