diff --git a/framework/core/src/User/User.php b/framework/core/src/User/User.php
index 39158fe4c..a7567b35e 100644
--- a/framework/core/src/User/User.php
+++ b/framework/core/src/User/User.php
@@ -766,7 +766,6 @@ class User extends AbstractModel
     public function refreshCommentsCount()
     {
         $this->comments_count = $this->posts()->count();
-        $this->save();
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -779,7 +778,6 @@ class User extends AbstractModel
     public function refreshDiscussionsCount()
     {
         $this->discussions_count = $this->discussions()->count();
-        $this->save();
 
         return $this;
     }
diff --git a/framework/core/src/User/UserMetadataUpdater.php b/framework/core/src/User/UserMetadataUpdater.php
index 0814f4939..1297ea6bf 100644
--- a/framework/core/src/User/UserMetadataUpdater.php
+++ b/framework/core/src/User/UserMetadataUpdater.php
@@ -66,11 +66,19 @@ class UserMetadataUpdater
 
     private function updateCommentsCount(Post $post)
     {
-        optional($post->user)->refreshCommentsCount();
+        $user = $post->user;
+
+        if ($user && $user->exists) {
+            $user->refreshCommentsCount()->save();
+        }
     }
 
     private function updateDiscussionsCount(Discussion $discussion)
     {
-        optional($discussion->startUser)->refreshDiscussionsCount();
+        $user = $discussion->startUser;
+
+        if ($user && $user->exists) {
+            $user->refreshDiscussionsCount()->save();
+        }
     }
 }