diff --git a/qt/aqt/browser.py b/qt/aqt/browser.py
index a2394ca2e..f365c6a89 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/browser.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/browser.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from aqt.editor import Editor
 from aqt.exporting import ExportDialog
 from aqt.find_and_replace import FindAndReplaceDialog
 from aqt.main import ResetReason
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.operations.card import set_card_deck, set_card_flag
 from aqt.operations.collection import undo
 from aqt.operations.note import remove_notes
@@ -127,12 +128,12 @@ class Browser(QMainWindow):
         gui_hooks.browser_will_show(self)
         self.show()
 
-    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges) -> None:
+    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges, meta: OpMeta) -> None:
         focused = current_top_level_widget() == self
-        self.table.op_executed(changes, focused)
-        self.sidebar.op_executed(changes, focused)
+        self.table.op_executed(changes, meta, focused)
+        self.sidebar.op_executed(changes, meta, focused)
         if changes.note or changes.notetype:
-            if not self.editor.is_updating_note():
+            if meta.handled_by is not self.editor:
                 # fixme: this will leave the splitter shown, but with no current
                 # note being edited
                 note = self.editor.note
diff --git a/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py b/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
index 1d159dcd4..cde0b0f1f 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import aqt.editor
 from anki.collection import OpChanges
 from anki.errors import NotFoundError
 from aqt import gui_hooks
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.qt import *
 from aqt.utils import disable_help_button, restoreGeom, saveGeom, tr
 
@@ -30,10 +31,10 @@ class EditCurrent(QDialog):
         gui_hooks.operation_did_execute.append(self.on_operation_did_execute)
         self.show()
 
-    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges) -> None:
+    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges, meta: OpMeta) -> None:
         if not (changes.note or changes.notetype):
             return
-        if self.editor.is_updating_note():
+        if meta.handled_by is self.editor:
             return
 
         # reload note
diff --git a/qt/aqt/editor.py b/qt/aqt/editor.py
index 4278cc71d..c1cea825e 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editor.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editor.py
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ class Editor:
     redrawing.
 
     The editor will cause that hook to be fired when it saves changes. To avoid
-    an unwanted refresh, the parent widget should call editor.is_updating_note(),
-    and avoid re-setting the note if it returns true.
+    an unwanted refresh, the parent widget should check if meta.handled_by
+    corresponds to this editor instance, and ignore the change if it does.
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ class Editor:
         self.note: Optional[Note] = None
         self.addMode = addMode
         self.currentField: Optional[int] = None
-        self._is_updating_note = False
         # current card, for card layout
         self.card: Optional[Card] = None
         self.setupOuter()
@@ -559,14 +558,7 @@ class Editor:
 
     def _save_current_note(self) -> None:
         "Call after note is updated with data from webview."
-        self._is_updating_note = True
-        update_note(mw=self.mw, note=self.note, after_hooks=self._after_updating_note)
-
-    def _after_updating_note(self) -> None:
-        self._is_updating_note = False
-
-    def is_updating_note(self) -> bool:
-        return self._is_updating_note
+        update_note(mw=self.mw, note=self.note, handled_by=self)
 
     def fonts(self) -> List[Tuple[str, int, bool]]:
         return [
diff --git a/qt/aqt/main.py b/qt/aqt/main.py
index 140bb7317..6611f5cd1 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/main.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/main.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ from aqt.emptycards import show_empty_cards
 from aqt.legacy import install_pylib_legacy
 from aqt.mediacheck import check_media_db
 from aqt.mediasync import MediaSyncer
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.operations.collection import undo
 from aqt.profiles import ProfileManager as ProfileManagerType
 from aqt.qt import *
@@ -772,6 +773,7 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
         success: PerformOpOptionalSuccessCallback = None,
         failure: PerformOpOptionalFailureCallback = None,
         after_hooks: Optional[Callable[[], None]] = None,
+        meta: OpMeta = OpMeta(),
     ) -> None:
         """Run the provided operation on a background thread.
 
@@ -825,7 +827,7 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
                 status = self.col.undo_status()
                 self._update_undo_actions_for_status_and_save(status)
                 # fire change hooks
-                self._fire_change_hooks_after_op_performed(result, after_hooks)
+                self._fire_change_hooks_after_op_performed(result, after_hooks, meta)
 
         self.taskman.with_progress(op, wrapped_done)
 
@@ -841,7 +843,10 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
         assert self._background_op_count >= 0
 
     def _fire_change_hooks_after_op_performed(
-        self, result: ResultWithChanges, after_hooks: Optional[Callable[[], None]]
+        self,
+        result: ResultWithChanges,
+        after_hooks: Optional[Callable[[], None]],
+        meta: OpMeta,
     ) -> None:
         if isinstance(result, OpChanges):
             changes = result
@@ -851,7 +856,7 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
         # fire new hook
         print("op changes:")
         print(changes)
-        gui_hooks.operation_did_execute(changes)
+        gui_hooks.operation_did_execute(changes, meta)
         # fire legacy hook so old code notices changes
         if self.col.op_made_changes(changes):
             gui_hooks.state_did_reset()
@@ -865,9 +870,9 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
         for field in op.DESCRIPTOR.fields:
             if field.name != "kind":
                 setattr(op, field.name, True)
-        gui_hooks.operation_did_execute(op)
+        gui_hooks.operation_did_execute(op, None)
 
-    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges) -> None:
+    def on_operation_did_execute(self, changes: OpChanges, meta: OpMeta) -> None:
         "Notify current screen of changes."
         focused = current_top_level_widget() == self
         if self.state == "review":
diff --git a/qt/aqt/operations/__init__.py b/qt/aqt/operations/__init__.py
index e69de29bb..49e7bdc55 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/operations/__init__.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/operations/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
+# License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Optional
+
+
+@dataclass
+class OpMeta:
+    """Metadata associated with an operation.
+
+    The `handled_by` field can be used by screens to ignore change
+    events they initiated themselves, if they have already made
+    the required changes."""
+
+    handled_by: Optional[object] = None
diff --git a/qt/aqt/operations/deck.py b/qt/aqt/operations/deck.py
index 92fd3f1d6..ff934c908 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/operations/deck.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/operations/deck.py
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import Callable, Sequence
+from typing import Callable, Optional, Sequence
 
 from anki.decks import DeckCollapseScope, DeckId
 from aqt import AnkiQt, QWidget
 from aqt.main import PerformOpOptionalSuccessCallback
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.utils import getOnlyText, tooltip, tr
 
 
@@ -71,10 +72,16 @@ def add_deck(
 
 
 def set_deck_collapsed(
-    *, mw: AnkiQt, deck_id: DeckId, collapsed: bool, scope: DeckCollapseScope.V
+    *,
+    mw: AnkiQt,
+    deck_id: DeckId,
+    collapsed: bool,
+    scope: DeckCollapseScope.V,
+    handled_by: Optional[object] = None,
 ) -> None:
     mw.perform_op(
         lambda: mw.col.decks.set_collapsed(
             deck_id=deck_id, collapsed=collapsed, scope=scope
-        )
+        ),
+        meta=OpMeta(handled_by=handled_by),
     )
diff --git a/qt/aqt/operations/note.py b/qt/aqt/operations/note.py
index 31b769954..1e3bb41d0 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/operations/note.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/operations/note.py
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import Callable, Sequence
+from typing import Optional, Sequence
 
 from anki.decks import DeckId
 from anki.notes import Note, NoteId
 from aqt import AnkiQt
 from aqt.main import PerformOpOptionalSuccessCallback
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 
 
 def add_note(
@@ -21,10 +22,10 @@ def add_note(
     mw.perform_op(lambda: mw.col.add_note(note, target_deck_id), success=success)
 
 
-def update_note(*, mw: AnkiQt, note: Note, after_hooks: Callable[[], None]) -> None:
+def update_note(*, mw: AnkiQt, note: Note, handled_by: Optional[object]) -> None:
     mw.perform_op(
         lambda: mw.col.update_note(note),
-        after_hooks=after_hooks,
+        meta=OpMeta(handled_by=handled_by),
     )
 
 
diff --git a/qt/aqt/sidebar.py b/qt/aqt/sidebar.py
index 9ae83e495..f362474a0 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/sidebar.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/sidebar.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from anki.types import assert_exhaustive
 from aqt import colors, gui_hooks
 from aqt.clayout import CardLayout
 from aqt.models import Models
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.operations.deck import (
     remove_decks,
     rename_deck,
@@ -419,7 +420,10 @@ class SidebarTreeView(QTreeView):
     # Refreshing
     ###########################
 
-    def op_executed(self, op: OpChanges, focused: bool) -> None:
+    def op_executed(self, op: OpChanges, meta: OpMeta, focused: bool) -> None:
+        if meta.handled_by is self:
+            return
+
         if op.tag or op.notetype or op.deck:
             self._refresh_needed = True
         if focused:
@@ -980,6 +984,7 @@ class SidebarTreeView(QTreeView):
                     deck_id=DeckId(node.deck_id),
                     collapsed=not expanded,
                     scope=DeckCollapseScope.BROWSER,
+                    handled_by=self,
                 )
 
             for node in nodes:
diff --git a/qt/aqt/table.py b/qt/aqt/table.py
index 2e41d37e9..dd6983b10 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/table.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/table.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from anki.errors import NotFoundError
 from anki.notes import Note, NoteId
 from anki.utils import ids2str, isWin
 from aqt import colors, gui_hooks
+from aqt.operations import OpMeta
 from aqt.qt import *
 from aqt.theme import theme_manager
 from aqt.utils import (
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ class Table:
     def redraw_cells(self) -> None:
         self._model.redraw_cells()
 
-    def op_executed(self, op: OpChanges, focused: bool) -> None:
+    def op_executed(self, op: OpChanges, meta: OpMeta, focused: bool) -> None:
         print("op executed")
         if op.card or op.note or op.deck or op.notetype:
             self._model.empty_cache()
diff --git a/qt/tools/genhooks_gui.py b/qt/tools/genhooks_gui.py
index 7a268c97d..ebcf373b1 100644
--- a/qt/tools/genhooks_gui.py
+++ b/qt/tools/genhooks_gui.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from anki.hooks import runFilter, runHook
 from anki.models import NotetypeDict
 from aqt.qt import QDialog, QEvent, QMenu, QWidget
 from aqt.tagedit import TagEdit
+import aqt.operations
 """
 
 # Hook list
@@ -458,9 +459,7 @@ hooks = [
     ),
     Hook(
         name="operation_did_execute",
-        args=[
-            "changes: anki.collection.OpChanges",
-        ],
+        args=["changes: anki.collection.OpChanges", "meta: aqt.operations.OpMeta"],
         doc="""Called after an operation completes.
         Changes can be inspected to determine whether the UI needs updating.