diff --git a/lib/couch_potato/database.rb b/lib/couch_potato/database.rb
index 64dc75d..374695b 100644
--- a/lib/couch_potato/database.rb
+++ b/lib/couch_potato/database.rb
@@ -112,18 +112,22 @@ def first!(spec)
     # if passed a block will:
     # * yield the object to be saved to the block and run if once before saving
     # * on conflict: reload the document, run the block again and retry saving
+    #
+    # The block is run against a copy of the given
+    # document, leaving the original untouched while the block runs. Once saving
+    # has succeeded the resulting attributes and revision are copied back onto
+    # the original instance.
     def save_document(document, options = {}, retries = 0, &block)
       cache&.clear
-      begin
-        block&.call document
-        save_document_without_conflict_handling(document, options)
-      rescue CouchRest::Conflict
-        if block
-          handle_write_conflict document, options, retries, &block
-        else
-          raise CouchPotato::Conflict
-        end
+      if !block
+        return save_document_with_conflict_handling(document, options, retries, &block)
       end
+
+      working_copy = document.dup
+      result = save_document_with_conflict_handling(working_copy, options, retries, &block)
+      document.attributes = working_copy.attributes
+      document._rev = working_copy._rev
+      result
     end
     alias save save_document
 
@@ -150,7 +154,7 @@ def destroy_document(document)
     # could not be found these are omitted from the returned array
     def load_document(id)
       return load_documents(id) if id.is_a?(Array)
-      
+
       cached = cache && cache[id]
       if cache
         if cache.key?(id)
@@ -301,16 +305,21 @@ def view_cache_id(spec)
       spec.send(:klass).to_s + spec.view_name.to_s + spec.view_parameters.to_s
     end
 
-    def handle_write_conflict(document, options, retries, &block)
-      cache&.clear
-      if retries == 5
-        raise CouchPotato::Conflict
-      else
-        reloaded = document.reload
-        document.attributes = reloaded.attributes
-        document._rev = reloaded._rev
-        save_document document, options, retries + 1, &block
-      end
+    # Saves the given document, running the block before each attempt. On a
+    # conflict the block is re-run against a freshly reloaded instance so that
+    # it can read the current state from the database and the save is retried.
+    # Without a block a conflict is surfaced as a CouchPotato::Conflict.
+    def save_document_with_conflict_handling(document, options, retries, &block)
+      block&.call document
+      save_document_without_conflict_handling document, options
+    rescue CouchRest::Conflict
+      raise CouchPotato::Conflict unless block
+      raise CouchPotato::Conflict if retries == 5
+
+      reloaded = document.reload
+      document.attributes = reloaded.attributes
+      document._rev = reloaded._rev
+      save_document_with_conflict_handling document, options, retries + 1, &block
     end
 
     def destroy_document_without_conflict_handling(document)
diff --git a/spec/conflict_handling_spec.rb b/spec/conflict_handling_spec.rb
index a640a9c..bbc010c 100644
--- a/spec/conflict_handling_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/conflict_handling_spec.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,19 @@ class Measurement
     expect(measurement.value).to eql(3)
   end
 
+  it 'does not modify the original instance before save but after it' do
+    measurement = Measurement.new value: 1
+    db.save! measurement
+
+    db.couchrest_database.save_doc measurement.reload._document.merge('value' => 2)
+
+    db.save measurement do |m|
+      m.value = measurement.value + 3 # measurement.value is still 1
+    end
+
+    expect(measurement.value).to eql(4) # now it's updated
+  end
+
   it 'raises an error after 5 tries' do
     couchrest_database = double(:couchrest_database, info: double.as_null_object)
     allow(couchrest_database).to receive(:save_doc).and_raise(CouchRest::Conflict)