diff --git a/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js b/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
index 5db80a216b..24ff11d152 100644
--- a/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
+++ b/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const { addDbPrefix, removeDbPrefix, getRedisOptions } = require("./utils")
 const CLUSTERED = false
 
 // for testing just generate the client once
+let CONNECTED = false
 let CLIENT = env.isTest() ? new Redis(getRedisOptions()) : null
 
 /**
@@ -20,9 +21,8 @@ function init() {
       return resolve(CLIENT)
     }
     // if a connection existed, close it and re-create it
-    if (CLIENT) {
-      CLIENT.disconnect()
-      CLIENT = null
+    if (CLIENT && CONNECTED) {
+      return CLIENT
     }
     const { opts, host, port } = getRedisOptions(CLUSTERED)
     if (CLUSTERED) {
@@ -32,12 +32,15 @@ function init() {
     }
     CLIENT.on("end", err => {
       reject(err)
+      CONNECTED = false
     })
     CLIENT.on("error", err => {
       reject(err)
+      CONNECTED = false
     })
     CLIENT.on("connect", () => {
       resolve(CLIENT)
+      CONNECTED = true
     })
   })
 }
diff --git a/packages/auth/src/redis/utils.js b/packages/auth/src/redis/utils.js
index efdd2aa48d..23702353d8 100644
--- a/packages/auth/src/redis/utils.js
+++ b/packages/auth/src/redis/utils.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ exports.Databases = {
   PW_RESETS: "pwReset",
   INVITATIONS: "invitation",
   DEV_LOCKS: "devLocks",
+  DEBOUNCE: "debounce",
 }
 
 exports.getRedisOptions = (clustered = false) => {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
index 386c0f1d7a..69b4d8ea54 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
@@ -214,6 +214,9 @@ exports.update = async function (ctx) {
 
   const data = ctx.request.body
   const newData = { ...application, ...data, url }
+  if (ctx.request.body._rev !== application._rev) {
+    newData._rev = application._rev
+  }
 
   // the locked by property is attached by server but generated from
   // Redis, shouldn't ever store it
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/application.spec.js b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/application.spec.js
index 9783079124..692a5b8e84 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/application.spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/application.spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@ jest.mock("../../../utilities/redis", () => ({
   getAllLocks: () => {
     return []
   },
+  doesUserHaveLock: () => {
+    return true
+  },
   updateLock: jest.fn(),
+  setDebounce: jest.fn(),
+  checkDebounce: jest.fn(),
 }))
 
 describe("/applications", () => {
@@ -104,4 +109,27 @@ describe("/applications", () => {
       expect(res.body.rev).toBeDefined()
     })
   })
+
+  describe("edited at", () => {
+    it("middleware should set edited at", async () => {
+      const headers = config.defaultHeaders()
+      headers["referer"] = `/${config.getAppId()}/test`
+      const res = await request
+        .put(`/api/applications/${config.getAppId()}`)
+        .send({
+          name: "UPDATED_NAME",
+        })
+        .set(headers)
+        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
+        .expect(200)
+      expect(res.body.rev).toBeDefined()
+      // retrieve the app to check it
+      const getRes = await request
+        .get(`/api/applications/${config.getAppId()}/appPackage`)
+        .set(headers)
+        .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
+        .expect(200)
+      expect(getRes.body.application.updatedAt).toBeDefined()
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.js b/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.js
index b22fe245d5..78cd9c1db1 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.js
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ const {
   doesHaveResourcePermission,
   doesHaveBasePermission,
 } = require("@budibase/auth/permissions")
-const { APP_DEV_PREFIX } = require("../db/utils")
-const { doesUserHaveLock, updateLock } = require("../utilities/redis")
+const builderMiddleware = require("./builder")
 
 function hasResource(ctx) {
   return ctx.resourceId != null
@@ -15,25 +14,7 @@ const WEBHOOK_ENDPOINTS = new RegExp(
   ["webhooks/trigger", "webhooks/schema"].join("|")
 )
 
-async function checkDevAppLocks(ctx) {
-  const appId = ctx.appId
 
-  // if any public usage, don't proceed
-  if (!ctx.user._id && !ctx.user.userId) {
-    return
-  }
-
-  // not a development app, don't need to do anything
-  if (!appId || !appId.startsWith(APP_DEV_PREFIX)) {
-    return
-  }
-  if (!(await doesUserHaveLock(appId, ctx.user))) {
-    ctx.throw(403, "User does not hold app lock.")
-  }
-
-  // they do have lock, update it
-  await updateLock(appId, ctx.user)
-}
 
 module.exports = (permType, permLevel = null) => async (ctx, next) => {
   // webhooks don't need authentication, each webhook unique
@@ -45,13 +26,9 @@ module.exports = (permType, permLevel = null) => async (ctx, next) => {
     return ctx.throw(403, "No user info found")
   }
 
-  const builderCall = permType === PermissionTypes.BUILDER
-  const referer = ctx.headers["referer"]
-  const editingApp = referer ? referer.includes(ctx.appId) : false
-  // this makes sure that builder calls abide by dev locks
-  if (builderCall && editingApp) {
-    await checkDevAppLocks(ctx)
-  }
+  // check general builder stuff, this middleware is a good way
+  // to find API endpoints which are builder focused
+  await builderMiddleware(ctx, permType)
 
   const isAuthed = ctx.isAuthenticated
   const { basePermissions, permissions } = await getUserPermissions(
@@ -62,9 +39,10 @@ module.exports = (permType, permLevel = null) => async (ctx, next) => {
   // builders for now have permission to do anything
   // TODO: in future should consider separating permissions with an require("@budibase/auth").isClient check
   let isBuilder = ctx.user && ctx.user.builder && ctx.user.builder.global
+  const isBuilderApi = permType === PermissionTypes.BUILDER
   if (isBuilder) {
     return next()
-  } else if (builderCall && !isBuilder) {
+  } else if (isBuilderApi && !isBuilder) {
     return ctx.throw(403, "Not Authorized")
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/builder.js b/packages/server/src/middleware/builder.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff03e208b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/builder.js
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+const { APP_DEV_PREFIX } = require("../db/utils")
+const {
+  doesUserHaveLock,
+  updateLock,
+  checkDebounce,
+  setDebounce,
+} = require("../utilities/redis")
+const CouchDB = require("../db")
+const { DocumentTypes } = require("../db/utils")
+const { PermissionTypes } = require("@budibase/auth/permissions")
+
+const DEBOUNCE_TIME_SEC = 20
+
+/************************************************** *
+ * This middleware has been broken out of the       *
+ * "authorized" middleware as it had nothing to do  *
+ * with authorization, but requires the perms       *
+ * imparted by it. This middleware shouldn't        *
+ * be called directly, it should always be called   *
+ * through the authorized middleware                *
+ ****************************************************/
+
+async function checkDevAppLocks(ctx) {
+  const appId = ctx.appId
+
+  // if any public usage, don't proceed
+  if (!ctx.user._id && !ctx.user.userId) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  // not a development app, don't need to do anything
+  if (!appId || !appId.startsWith(APP_DEV_PREFIX)) {
+    return
+  }
+  if (!(await doesUserHaveLock(appId, ctx.user))) {
+    ctx.throw(403, "User does not hold app lock.")
+  }
+
+  // they do have lock, update it
+  await updateLock(appId, ctx.user)
+}
+
+async function updateAppUpdatedAt(ctx) {
+  const appId = ctx.appId
+  // if debouncing skip this update
+  // get methods also aren't updating
+  if (await checkDebounce(appId) || ctx.method === "GET") {
+    return
+  }
+  const db = new CouchDB(appId)
+  const metadata = await db.get(DocumentTypes.APP_METADATA)
+  metadata.updatedAt = new Date().toISOString()
+  await db.put(metadata)
+  // set a new debounce record with a short TTL
+  await setDebounce(appId, DEBOUNCE_TIME_SEC)
+}
+
+module.exports = async (ctx, permType) => {
+  const appId = ctx.appId
+  // this only functions within an app context
+  if (!appId) {
+    return
+  }
+  const isBuilderApi = permType === PermissionTypes.BUILDER
+  const referer = ctx.headers["referer"]
+  const editingApp = referer ? referer.includes(appId) : false
+  // check this is a builder call and editing
+  if (!isBuilderApi || !editingApp) {
+    return
+  }
+  // check locks
+  await checkDevAppLocks(ctx)
+  // set updated at time on app
+  await updateAppUpdatedAt(ctx)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.js b/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.js
index d51ce4cc4d..50e1b1dcf2 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.js
@@ -78,9 +78,6 @@ describe("Authorization middleware", () => {
   })
 
   describe("external web hook call", () => {
-    let ctx = {}
-    let middleware
-
     beforeEach(() => {
       config = new TestConfiguration()
       config.setEnvironment(true)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.js b/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.js
index d1fd3de469..18f967e053 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.js
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ const { Client, utils } = require("@budibase/auth/redis")
 const { getGlobalIDFromUserMetadataID } = require("../db/utils")
 
 const APP_DEV_LOCK_SECONDS = 600
-const DB_NAME = utils.Databases.DEV_LOCKS
-let devAppClient
+let devAppClient, debounceClient
 
 // we init this as we want to keep the connection open all the time
 // reduces the performance hit
 exports.init = async () => {
-  devAppClient = await new Client(DB_NAME).init()
+  devAppClient = await new Client(utils.Databases.DEV_LOCKS).init()
+  debounceClient = await new Client(utils.Databases).init()
 }
 
 exports.doesUserHaveLock = async (devAppId, user) => {
@@ -52,3 +52,11 @@ exports.clearLock = async (devAppId, user) => {
   }
   await devAppClient.delete(devAppId)
 }
+
+exports.checkDebounce = async id => {
+  return debounceClient.get(id)
+}
+
+exports.setDebounce = async (id, seconds) => {
+  await debounceClient.store(id, "debouncing", seconds)
+}