diff --git a/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
index 6d452a01..843e43de 100644
--- a/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class TodosController < ApplicationController
       @saved = @todo.save
 
       # Fix for #977 because AASM overrides @state on creation
-      @todo.update_attribute('state', specified_state) unless specified_state == "immediate"
+      @todo.update_attribute('state', specified_state) unless specified_state == "immediate" || specified_state.nil? || !@saved
       @saved = @todo.save
       @todo.update_state_from_project if @saved