diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
index e79f7a43e1..74764640b8 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
@@ -55,12 +55,8 @@ module Admin
     def update
       authorize :domain_block, :update?
 
-      @domain_block.update(update_params)
-
-      severity_changed = @domain_block.severity_changed?
-
-      if @domain_block.save
-        DomainBlockWorker.perform_async(@domain_block.id, severity_changed)
+      if @domain_block.update(update_params)
+        DomainBlockWorker.perform_async(@domain_block.id, @domain_block.severity_previously_changed?)
         log_action :update, @domain_block
         redirect_to admin_instances_path(limited: '1'), notice: I18n.t('admin.domain_blocks.created_msg')
       else
diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
index df5b1b3fcb..8b77e9717d 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller.rb
@@ -40,10 +40,8 @@ class Api::V1::Admin::DomainBlocksController < Api::BaseController
 
   def update
     authorize @domain_block, :update?
-    @domain_block.update(domain_block_params)
-    severity_changed = @domain_block.severity_changed?
-    @domain_block.save!
-    DomainBlockWorker.perform_async(@domain_block.id, severity_changed)
+    @domain_block.update!(domain_block_params)
+    DomainBlockWorker.perform_async(@domain_block.id, @domain_block.severity_previously_changed?)
     log_action :update, @domain_block
     render json: @domain_block, serializer: REST::Admin::DomainBlockSerializer
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
index 98cda50047..f432060d98 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,53 @@ RSpec.describe Admin::DomainBlocksController, type: :controller do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'PUT #update' do
+    let!(:remote_account) { Fabricate(:account, domain: 'example.com') }
+    let(:domain_block)    { Fabricate(:domain_block, domain: 'example.com', severity: original_severity) }
+
+    before do
+      BlockDomainService.new.call(domain_block)
+    end
+
+    let(:subject) do
+      post :update, params: { id: domain_block.id, domain_block: { domain: 'example.com', severity: new_severity } }
+    end
+
+    context 'downgrading a domain suspension to silence' do
+      let(:original_severity) { 'suspend' }
+      let(:new_severity)      { 'silence' }
+
+      it 'changes the block severity' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { domain_block.reload.severity }.from('suspend').to('silence')
+      end
+
+      it 'undoes individual suspensions' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.suspended? }.from(true).to(false)
+      end
+
+      it 'performs individual silences' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.silenced? }.from(false).to(true)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'upgrading a domain silence to suspend' do
+      let(:original_severity) { 'silence' }
+      let(:new_severity)      { 'suspend' }
+
+      it 'changes the block severity' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { domain_block.reload.severity }.from('silence').to('suspend')
+      end
+
+      it 'undoes individual silences' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.silenced? }.from(true).to(false)
+      end
+
+      it 'performs individual suspends' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.suspended? }.from(false).to(true)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'DELETE #destroy' do
     it 'unblocks the domain' do
       service = double(call: true)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
index f12285b2a6..606def602f 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/api/v1/admin/domain_blocks_controller_spec.rb
@@ -71,6 +71,53 @@ RSpec.describe Api::V1::Admin::DomainBlocksController, type: :controller do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'PUT #update' do
+    let!(:remote_account) { Fabricate(:account, domain: 'example.com') }
+    let(:domain_block)    { Fabricate(:domain_block, domain: 'example.com', severity: original_severity) }
+
+    before do
+      BlockDomainService.new.call(domain_block)
+    end
+
+    let(:subject) do
+      post :update, params: { id: domain_block.id, domain: 'example.com', severity: new_severity }
+    end
+
+    context 'downgrading a domain suspension to silence' do
+      let(:original_severity) { 'suspend' }
+      let(:new_severity)      { 'silence' }
+
+      it 'changes the block severity' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { domain_block.reload.severity }.from('suspend').to('silence')
+      end
+
+      it 'undoes individual suspensions' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.suspended? }.from(true).to(false)
+      end
+
+      it 'performs individual silences' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.silenced? }.from(false).to(true)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'upgrading a domain silence to suspend' do
+      let(:original_severity) { 'silence' }
+      let(:new_severity)      { 'suspend' }
+
+      it 'changes the block severity' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { domain_block.reload.severity }.from('silence').to('suspend')
+      end
+
+      it 'undoes individual silences' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.silenced? }.from(true).to(false)
+      end
+
+      it 'performs individual suspends' do
+        expect { subject }.to change { remote_account.reload.suspended? }.from(false).to(true)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'DELETE #destroy' do
     let!(:block) { Fabricate(:domain_block) }