diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
index bba83714e..1549bdc64 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
-            view(request)
+
+        view(request)
         book = models.Edition.objects.get(title="New Title")
         self.assertEqual(book.parent_work.title, "New Title")
 
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
-            view(request)
+
+        view(request)
         book = models.Edition.objects.get(title="New Title")
         self.assertEqual(book.parent_work, self.work)
 
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
-            view(request)
+
+        view(request)
         book = models.Edition.objects.get(title="New Title")
         self.assertEqual(book.parent_work.title, "New Title")
         self.assertEqual(book.authors.first().name, "Sappho")
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books.py b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
index ecba43766..ae60c677d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ class ConfirmEditBook(View):
                     work = models.Work.objects.create(title=form.cleaned_data["title"])
                     work.authors.set(book.authors.all())
                 book.parent_work = work
-                book.save()
+                # we don't tell the world when creating a book
+                book.save(broadcast=False)
 
             for author_id in request.POST.getlist("remove_authors"):
                 book.authors.remove(author_id)