diff --git a/ledger/src/blockstore.rs b/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
index a32af852257972..591034aab894c0 100644
--- a/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
@@ -156,6 +156,26 @@ impl PossibleDuplicateShred {
     }
 }
 
+enum WorkingEntry<T> {
+    Dirty(T), // Value has been modified with respect to the blockstore column
+    Clean(T), // Value matches what is currently in the blockstore column
+}
+
+impl<T> WorkingEntry<T> {
+    fn should_write(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, Self::Dirty(_))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> AsRef<T> for WorkingEntry<T> {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &T {
+        match self {
+            Self::Dirty(value) => value,
+            Self::Clean(value) => value,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub struct InsertResults {
     completed_data_set_infos: Vec<CompletedDataSetInfo>,
     duplicate_shreds: Vec<PossibleDuplicateShred>,
@@ -732,7 +752,7 @@ impl Blockstore {
 
     fn try_shred_recovery(
         &self,
-        erasure_metas: &HashMap<ErasureSetId, ErasureMeta>,
+        erasure_metas: &HashMap<ErasureSetId, WorkingEntry<ErasureMeta>>,
         index_working_set: &mut HashMap<u64, IndexMetaWorkingSetEntry>,
         prev_inserted_shreds: &HashMap<ShredId, Shred>,
         reed_solomon_cache: &ReedSolomonCache,
@@ -743,7 +763,8 @@ impl Blockstore {
         // 2. For new data shreds, check if an erasure set exists. If not, don't try recovery
         // 3. Before trying recovery, check if enough number of shreds have been received
         // 3a. Enough number of shreds = (#data + #coding shreds) > erasure.num_data
-        for (erasure_set, erasure_meta) in erasure_metas.iter() {
+        for (erasure_set, working_erasure_meta) in erasure_metas.iter() {
+            let erasure_meta = working_erasure_meta.as_ref();
             let slot = erasure_set.slot();
             let index_meta_entry = index_working_set.get_mut(&slot).expect("Index");
             let index = &mut index_meta_entry.index;
@@ -1018,13 +1039,27 @@ impl Blockstore {
             &mut write_batch,
         )?;
 
-        for (erasure_set, erasure_meta) in erasure_metas {
+        for (erasure_set, working_erasure_meta) in erasure_metas {
+            if !working_erasure_meta.should_write() {
+                // No need to rewrite the column
+                continue;
+            }
             let (slot, fec_set_index) = erasure_set.store_key();
-            write_batch.put::<cf::ErasureMeta>((slot, u64::from(fec_set_index)), &erasure_meta)?;
+            write_batch.put::<cf::ErasureMeta>(
+                (slot, u64::from(fec_set_index)),
+                working_erasure_meta.as_ref(),
+            )?;
         }
 
-        for (erasure_set, merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
-            write_batch.put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(erasure_set.store_key(), &merkle_root_meta)?;
+        for (erasure_set, working_merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
+            if !working_merkle_root_meta.should_write() {
+                // No need to rewrite the column
+                continue;
+            }
+            write_batch.put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(
+                erasure_set.store_key(),
+                working_merkle_root_meta.as_ref(),
+            )?;
         }
 
         for (&slot, index_working_set_entry) in index_working_set.iter() {
@@ -1183,8 +1218,8 @@ impl Blockstore {
     fn check_insert_coding_shred(
         &self,
         shred: Shred,
-        erasure_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, ErasureMeta>,
-        merkle_root_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, MerkleRootMeta>,
+        erasure_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, WorkingEntry<ErasureMeta>>,
+        merkle_root_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, WorkingEntry<MerkleRootMeta>>,
         index_working_set: &mut HashMap<u64, IndexMetaWorkingSetEntry>,
         write_batch: &mut WriteBatch,
         just_received_shreds: &mut HashMap<ShredId, Shred>,
@@ -1205,7 +1240,7 @@ impl Blockstore {
 
         if let HashMapEntry::Vacant(entry) = merkle_root_metas.entry(erasure_set) {
             if let Some(meta) = self.merkle_root_meta(erasure_set).unwrap() {
-                entry.insert(meta);
+                entry.insert(WorkingEntry::Clean(meta));
             }
         }
 
@@ -1224,11 +1259,15 @@ impl Blockstore {
             }
         }
 
-        let erasure_meta = erasure_metas.entry(erasure_set).or_insert_with(|| {
+        let erasure_meta_entry = erasure_metas.entry(erasure_set).or_insert_with(|| {
             self.erasure_meta(erasure_set)
                 .expect("Expect database get to succeed")
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| ErasureMeta::from_coding_shred(&shred).unwrap())
+                .map(WorkingEntry::Clean)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    WorkingEntry::Dirty(ErasureMeta::from_coding_shred(&shred).unwrap())
+                })
         });
+        let erasure_meta = erasure_meta_entry.as_ref();
 
         if !erasure_meta.check_coding_shred(&shred) {
             metrics.num_coding_shreds_invalid_erasure_config += 1;
@@ -1289,7 +1328,7 @@ impl Blockstore {
 
             merkle_root_metas
                 .entry(erasure_set)
-                .or_insert(MerkleRootMeta::from_shred(&shred));
+                .or_insert(WorkingEntry::Dirty(MerkleRootMeta::from_shred(&shred)));
         }
 
         if let HashMapEntry::Vacant(entry) = just_received_shreds.entry(shred.id()) {
@@ -1372,8 +1411,8 @@ impl Blockstore {
     fn check_insert_data_shred(
         &self,
         shred: Shred,
-        erasure_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, ErasureMeta>,
-        merkle_root_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, MerkleRootMeta>,
+        erasure_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, WorkingEntry<ErasureMeta>>,
+        merkle_root_metas: &mut HashMap<ErasureSetId, WorkingEntry<MerkleRootMeta>>,
         index_working_set: &mut HashMap<u64, IndexMetaWorkingSetEntry>,
         slot_meta_working_set: &mut HashMap<u64, SlotMetaWorkingSetEntry>,
         write_batch: &mut WriteBatch,
@@ -1402,7 +1441,7 @@ impl Blockstore {
         let erasure_set = shred.erasure_set();
         if let HashMapEntry::Vacant(entry) = merkle_root_metas.entry(erasure_set) {
             if let Some(meta) = self.merkle_root_meta(erasure_set).unwrap() {
-                entry.insert(meta);
+                entry.insert(WorkingEntry::Clean(meta));
             }
         }
 
@@ -1448,13 +1487,13 @@ impl Blockstore {
         )?;
         merkle_root_metas
             .entry(erasure_set)
-            .or_insert(MerkleRootMeta::from_shred(&shred));
+            .or_insert(WorkingEntry::Dirty(MerkleRootMeta::from_shred(&shred)));
         just_inserted_shreds.insert(shred.id(), shred);
         index_meta_working_set_entry.did_insert_occur = true;
         slot_meta_entry.did_insert_occur = true;
         if let HashMapEntry::Vacant(entry) = erasure_metas.entry(erasure_set) {
             if let Some(meta) = self.erasure_meta(erasure_set).unwrap() {
-                entry.insert(meta);
+                entry.insert(WorkingEntry::Clean(meta));
             }
         }
         Ok(newly_completed_data_sets)
@@ -6806,6 +6845,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             coding_shred.merkle_root().ok(),
         );
@@ -6813,6 +6853,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -6820,13 +6861,17 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_type(),
             ShredType::Code,
         );
 
-        for (erasure_set, merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
+        for (erasure_set, working_merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
             write_batch
-                .put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(erasure_set.store_key(), &merkle_root_meta)
+                .put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(
+                    erasure_set.store_key(),
+                    working_merkle_root_meta.as_ref(),
+                )
                 .unwrap();
         }
         blockstore.db.write(write_batch).unwrap();
@@ -6862,6 +6907,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             coding_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -6869,6 +6915,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -6918,6 +6965,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             coding_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -6925,6 +6973,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -6932,6 +6981,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&new_coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             new_coding_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -6939,6 +6989,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&new_coding_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             new_index
         );
@@ -6986,6 +7037,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             data_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -6993,6 +7045,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -7000,13 +7053,17 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_type(),
             ShredType::Data,
         );
 
-        for (erasure_set, merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
+        for (erasure_set, working_merkle_root_meta) in merkle_root_metas {
             write_batch
-                .put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(erasure_set.store_key(), &merkle_root_meta)
+                .put::<cf::MerkleRootMeta>(
+                    erasure_set.store_key(),
+                    working_merkle_root_meta.as_ref(),
+                )
                 .unwrap();
         }
         blockstore.db.write(write_batch).unwrap();
@@ -7046,6 +7103,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             data_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -7053,6 +7111,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -7112,6 +7171,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             data_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -7119,6 +7179,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             index
         );
@@ -7126,6 +7187,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&new_data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .merkle_root(),
             new_data_shred.merkle_root().ok()
         );
@@ -7133,6 +7195,7 @@ pub mod tests {
             merkle_root_metas
                 .get(&new_data_shred.erasure_set())
                 .unwrap()
+                .as_ref()
                 .first_received_shred_index(),
             new_index
         );