diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.cc b/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.cc
index 578ca0f54e5e..a9094665d0a8 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.cc
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.cc
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ void TabletPeer::Submit(std::unique_ptr<Operation> operation, int64_t term) {
 }
 
 Status TabletPeer::SubmitUpdateTransaction(
-    std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> operation, int64_t term) {
+    std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation>& operation, int64_t term) {
   if (!operation->tablet_is_set()) {
     auto tablet = VERIFY_RESULT(shared_tablet_safe());
     operation->SetTablet(tablet);
diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.h b/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.h
index 85cab240e0d9..ae8d15404973 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.h
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/tablet_peer.h
@@ -220,8 +220,9 @@ class TabletPeer : public std::enable_shared_from_this<TabletPeer>,
   std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> CreateUpdateTransaction(
       std::shared_ptr<LWTransactionStatePB> request) override;
 
+  // `operation` is moved from in the event of success, and left alive in event of failure.
   Status SubmitUpdateTransaction(
-      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> operation, int64_t term) override;
+      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation>& operation, int64_t term) override;
 
   HybridTime SafeTimeForTransactionParticipant() override;
   Result<HybridTime> WaitForSafeTime(HybridTime safe_time, CoarseTimePoint deadline) override;
diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.cc b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.cc
index 0acca36ffb2d..3582f52c9d0b 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.cc
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.cc
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ class TransactionCoordinator::Impl : public TransactionStateContext,
 
     for (auto& update : actions->updates) {
       auto submit_status =
-          context_.SubmitUpdateTransaction(std::move(update), actions->leader_term);
+          context_.SubmitUpdateTransaction(update, actions->leader_term);
       if (!submit_status.ok()) {
         LOG_WITH_PREFIX(DFATAL)
             << "Could not submit transaction status update operation: "
diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.h b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.h
index cedb935524ba..3406c937f262 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.h
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_coordinator.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class TransactionCoordinatorContext {
   virtual std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> CreateUpdateTransaction(
       std::shared_ptr<LWTransactionStatePB> request) = 0;
   virtual Status SubmitUpdateTransaction(
-      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> operation, int64_t term) = 0;
+      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation>& operation, int64_t term) = 0;
 
   server::Clock& clock() const {
     return *clock_ptr();
diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant.cc b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant.cc
index a62282b5ea6e..6a7c5505e57d 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant.cc
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant.cc
@@ -1882,7 +1882,7 @@ class TransactionParticipant::Impl
   void SubmitUpdateTransaction(
       std::unique_ptr<tablet::UpdateTxnOperation> operation, int64_t term) {
     WARN_NOT_OK(
-        participant_context_.SubmitUpdateTransaction(std::move(operation), term),
+        participant_context_.SubmitUpdateTransaction(operation, term),
         Format("Could not submit transaction status update operation: $0", operation->ToString()));
   }
 
diff --git a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant_context.h b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant_context.h
index ca3d130bb06e..546c54899874 100644
--- a/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant_context.h
+++ b/src/yb/tablet/transaction_participant_context.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class TransactionParticipantContext {
   virtual void UpdateClock(HybridTime hybrid_time) = 0;
   virtual bool IsLeader() = 0;
   virtual Status SubmitUpdateTransaction(
-      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation> state, int64_t term) = 0;
+      std::unique_ptr<UpdateTxnOperation>& state, int64_t term) = 0;
 
   // Returns hybrid time that lower than any future transaction apply record.
   virtual HybridTime SafeTimeForTransactionParticipant() = 0;