diff --git a/app/models/merge_request.rb b/app/models/merge_request.rb
index b17f689c54..70780b75d4 100644
--- a/app/models/merge_request.rb
+++ b/app/models/merge_request.rb
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ class MergeRequest < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def mark_as_unmergable
-    self.update_attributes state: CANNOT_BE_MERGED
+    self.state = CANNOT_BE_MERGED
+    self.save
   end
 
   def reloaded_commits