diff --git a/action/update.go b/action/update.go
index 4b0da7b..defaf07 100644
--- a/action/update.go
+++ b/action/update.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package action
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/Masterminds/glide/cfg"
@@ -85,9 +86,27 @@
 			msg.Die("Failed to generate config hash. Unable to generate lock file.")
 		}
 		lock := cfg.NewLockfile(confcopy.Imports, hash)
-		if err := lock.WriteFile(filepath.Join(base, gpath.LockFile)); err != nil {
-			msg.Err("Could not write lock file to %s: %s", base, err)
-			return
+		wl := true
+		if gpath.HasLock(base) {
+			yml, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(base, gpath.LockFile))
+			if err == nil {
+				l2, err := cfg.LockfileFromYaml(yml)
+				if err == nil {
+					f1, err := l2.Fingerprint()
+					f2, err2 := lock.Fingerprint()
+					if err == nil && err2 == nil && f1 == f2 {
+						wl = false
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if wl {
+			if err := lock.WriteFile(filepath.Join(base, gpath.LockFile)); err != nil {
+				msg.Err("Could not write lock file to %s: %s", base, err)
+				return
+			}
+		} else {
+			msg.Info("Versions did not change. Skipping glide.lock update.")
 		}
 
 		msg.Info("Project relies on %d dependencies.", len(confcopy.Imports))
diff --git a/cfg/lock.go b/cfg/lock.go
index 46f0753..517d3ba 100644
--- a/cfg/lock.go
+++ b/cfg/lock.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cfg
 
 import (
+	"crypto/sha256"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -45,9 +46,44 @@
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(lockpath, o, 0666)
 }
 
+// Clone returns a clone of Lockfile
+func (lf *Lockfile) Clone() *Lockfile {
+	n := &Lockfile{}
+	n.Hash = lf.Hash
+	n.Updated = lf.Updated
+	n.Imports = lf.Imports.Clone()
+	n.DevImports = lf.DevImports.Clone()
+
+	return n
+}
+
+// Fingerprint returns a hash of the contents minus the date. This allows for
+// two lockfiles to be compared irrespective of their updated times.
+func (lf *Lockfile) Fingerprint() ([32]byte, error) {
+	c := lf.Clone()
+	c.Updated = time.Time{} // Set the time to be the nil equivalent
+	sort.Sort(c.Imports)
+	sort.Sort(c.DevImports)
+	yml, err := c.Marshal()
+	if err != nil {
+		return [32]byte{}, err
+	}
+
+	return sha256.Sum256(yml), nil
+}
+
 // Locks is a slice of locked dependencies.
 type Locks []*Lock
 
+// Clone returns a Clone of Locks.
+func (l Locks) Clone() Locks {
+	n := make(Locks, 0, len(l))
+	for _, v := range l {
+		n = append(n, v.Clone())
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
 // Len returns the length of the Locks. This is needed for sorting with
 // the sort package.
 func (l Locks) Len() int {
@@ -81,6 +117,19 @@
 	Os          []string `yaml:"os,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// Clone creates a clone of a Lock.
+func (l *Lock) Clone() *Lock {
+	return &Lock{
+		Name:        l.Name,
+		Version:     l.Version,
+		Repository:  l.Repository,
+		VcsType:     l.VcsType,
+		Subpackages: l.Subpackages,
+		Arch:        l.Arch,
+		Os:          l.Os,
+	}
+}
+
 // NewLockfile is used to create an instance of Lockfile.
 func NewLockfile(ds Dependencies, hash string) *Lockfile {
 	lf := &Lockfile{