diff --git a/nomad/structs/diff.go b/nomad/structs/diff.go
index 7c07d9e0c..eabc3ec4b 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/diff.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/diff.go
@@ -79,10 +79,6 @@ func (j *Job) Diff(other *Job, contextual bool) (*JobDiff, error) {
 		oldPrimitiveFlat = flatmap.Flatten(j, filter, true)
 		diff.ID = j.ID
 	} else {
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(j, other) {
-			diff.Type = DiffTypeEdited
-		}
-
 		if j.ID != other.ID {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("can not diff jobs with different IDs: %q and %q", j.ID, other.ID)
 		}
@@ -130,6 +126,20 @@ func (j *Job) Diff(other *Job, contextual bool) (*JobDiff, error) {
 		diff.Objects = append(diff.Objects, pDiff)
 	}
 
+	// If the job is not a delete or add, determine if there are edits.
+	if diff.Type == DiffTypeNone {
+		tgEdit := false
+		for _, tg := range diff.TaskGroups {
+			if tg.Type != DiffTypeNone {
+				tgEdit = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if tgEdit || len(diff.Fields)+len(diff.Objects) != 0 {
+			diff.Type = DiffTypeEdited
+		}
+	}
+
 	return diff, nil
 }