diff --git a/server/grpc/rpc.go b/server/grpc/rpc.go
index ca43ea3d6..bdd498b13 100644
--- a/server/grpc/rpc.go
+++ b/server/grpc/rpc.go
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ func (s *RPC) Extend(c context.Context, workflowID string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	agent.LastWork = time.Now().Unix()
-	err = s.store.AgentUpdate(agent)
+	err = s.updateAgentLastWork(agent)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -237,8 +236,7 @@ func (s *RPC) Init(c context.Context, strWorkflowID string, state rpc.WorkflowSt
 	}
 	s.updateForgeStatus(c, repo, currentPipeline, workflow)
 
-	agent.LastWork = time.Now().Unix()
-	return s.store.AgentUpdate(agent)
+	return s.updateAgentLastWork(agent)
 }
 
 // Done marks the workflow with the given ID as done.
@@ -331,8 +329,7 @@ func (s *RPC) Done(c context.Context, strWorkflowID string, state rpc.WorkflowSt
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	agent.LastWork = time.Now().Unix()
-	return s.store.AgentUpdate(agent)
+	return s.updateAgentLastWork(agent)
 }
 
 // Log writes a log entry to the database and publishes it to the pubsub.
@@ -362,8 +359,9 @@ func (s *RPC) Log(c context.Context, rpcLogEntry *rpc.LogEntry) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	agent.LastWork = time.Now().Unix()
-	if err := s.store.AgentUpdate(agent); err != nil {
+
+	err = s.updateAgentLastWork(agent)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -510,3 +508,17 @@ func (s *RPC) getHostnameFromContext(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return "", errors.New("no hostname in metadata")
 }
+
+func (s *RPC) updateAgentLastWork(agent *model.Agent) error {
+	// only update agent.LastWork if not done recently
+	if time.Unix(agent.LastWork, 0).Add(1 * time.Minute).Before(time.Now()) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	agent.LastWork = time.Now().Unix()
+	if err := s.store.AgentUpdate(agent); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}