diff --git a/src/SIL.Harmony/DataModel.cs b/src/SIL.Harmony/DataModel.cs
index f4105c2..91b54c9 100644
--- a/src/SIL.Harmony/DataModel.cs
+++ b/src/SIL.Harmony/DataModel.cs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public async Task AddManyChanges(Guid clientId,
         await using var transaction = await repo.BeginTransactionAsync();
         var updatedCommits = await repo.AddCommits(commits);
         await UpdateSnapshots(repo, updatedCommits);
-        await ValidateCommits(repo);
+        if (AlwaysValidate) await ValidateCommits(repo);
         await transaction.CommitAsync();
     }
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ async Task ISyncable.AddRangeFromSync(IEnumerable<Commit> commits)
             await using var transaction = await repo.BeginTransactionAsync();
             var updatedCommits = await repo.AddCommits(newCommits);
             await UpdateSnapshots(repo, updatedCommits);
-            await ValidateCommits(repo);
+            if (AlwaysValidate) await ValidateCommits(repo);
             await transaction.CommitAsync();
         }
         catch (DbUpdateException e)