diff --git a/src/entities/attribute.js b/src/entities/attribute.js
index a40964b9f..85cf2c8a6 100644
--- a/src/entities/attribute.js
+++ b/src/entities/attribute.js
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ class Attribute extends Entity {
             this.dateModified = dateUtils.nowDate();
         }
     }
+
+    // cannot be static!
+    updatePojo(pojo) {
+        delete pojo.isOwned;
+    }
 }
 
 module.exports = Attribute;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/entities/branch.js b/src/entities/branch.js
index 6019fe99a..96770e6c5 100644
--- a/src/entities/branch.js
+++ b/src/entities/branch.js
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ class Branch extends Entity {
             this.dateModified = dateUtils.nowDate();
         }
     }
+
+    // cannot be static!
+    updatePojo(pojo) {
+        delete pojo.origParentNoteId;
+    }
 }
 
 module.exports = Branch;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/entities/note.js b/src/entities/note.js
index 64df89f76..cd7ec238a 100644
--- a/src/entities/note.js
+++ b/src/entities/note.js
@@ -606,10 +606,6 @@ class Note extends Entity {
         // we do this here because encryption needs the note ID for the IV
         this.generateIdIfNecessary();
 
-        if (this.isProtected) {
-            protectedSessionService.encryptNote(this);
-        }
-
         if (!this.isDeleted) {
             this.isDeleted = false;
         }
@@ -624,6 +620,17 @@ class Note extends Entity {
             this.dateModified = dateUtils.nowDate();
         }
     }
+
+    // cannot be static!
+    updatePojo(pojo) {
+        if (pojo.isProtected) {
+            protectedSessionService.encryptNote(pojo);
+        }
+
+        delete pojo.jsonContent;
+        delete pojo.isContentAvailable;
+        delete pojo.__attributeCache;
+    }
 }
 
 module.exports = Note;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/services/repository.js b/src/services/repository.js
index a416050e5..7098a6142 100644
--- a/src/services/repository.js
+++ b/src/services/repository.js
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ async function updateEntity(entity) {
 
     const clone = Object.assign({}, entity);
 
-    // transient properties not supposed to be persisted
-    delete clone.jsonContent;
-    delete clone.isOwned;
+    // this check requires that updatePojo is not static
+    if (entity.updatePojo) {
+        await entity.updatePojo(clone);
+    }
+
+    // indicates whether entity actually changed
     delete clone.isChanged;
-    delete clone.origParentNoteId;
-    delete clone.isContentAvailable;
-    delete clone.__attributeCache;
 
     for (const key in clone) {
         // !isBuffer is for images and attachments