diff --git a/app/models/course.rb b/app/models/course.rb
index 3a0fd3568..5faf5aa0a 100644
--- a/app/models/course.rb
+++ b/app/models/course.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ def all_users
     User.where(id: staff_ids + professor_ids + student_ids)
   end
 
+  def empty?
+    all_users.empty?
+  end
+
   def has_staff?
     staff_registrations.exists?
   end
diff --git a/lib/bottlenose.rb b/lib/bottlenose.rb
index 18498d20a..16a250cbb 100644
--- a/lib/bottlenose.rb
+++ b/lib/bottlenose.rb
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ def sync_courses
 
           hg_course = Course.find_or_initialize_by(bottlenose_id: active_course['id'])
           hg_course.title = active_course['name']
-          hg_course.last_sync = DateTime.now
           hg_course.active = true
           hg_course.save!
-          sync_course_regs(hg_course)
+          sync_course_regs(hg_course) if hg_course.empty?
         end
       end
     end
 
     def sync_course_regs(course)
+      course.update(:last_sync, DateTime.now)
       got = bottlenose_get("/api/courses/#{course.bottlenose_id}/registrations")
       got.each do |sec_id, sec_obj|
         sec = course.sections.find_or_initialize_by(bottlenose_id: sec_id)