diff --git a/db/document.go b/db/document.go
index a9b905f1..67d4dcc5 100644
--- a/db/document.go
+++ b/db/document.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/kvs"
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/sql"
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/util/data"
-	"github.com/abcum/surreal/util/diff"
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/util/indx"
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/util/keys"
 )
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@ type document struct {
 	doc     *data.Doc
 	initial *data.Doc
 	current *data.Doc
+	changed bool
 }
 
 func newDocument(i *iterator, key *keys.Thing, val kvs.KV, doc *data.Doc) (d *document) {
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (d *document) close() {
 }
 
 func (d *document) erase() (err error) {
-	d.current = data.Consume(nil)
+	d.changed, d.current = true, data.Consume(nil)
 	return
 }
 
@@ -205,13 +205,6 @@ func (d *document) forced(ctx context.Context) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (d *document) changed(ctx context.Context) bool {
-	a, _ := d.initial.Data().(map[string]interface{})
-	b, _ := d.current.Data().(map[string]interface{})
-	c := diff.Diff(a, b)
-	return len(c) > 0
-}
-
 func (d *document) shouldDrop(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
 
 	// Check whether it is specified
@@ -249,7 +242,7 @@ func (d *document) storeThing(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	// Check that the record has been
 	// changed, and if not, return.
 
-	if ok := d.changed(ctx); !ok {
+	if !d.changed {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -311,7 +304,7 @@ func (d *document) storeIndex(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	// Check that the rcord has been
 	// changed, and if not, return.
 
-	if !forced && !d.changed(ctx) {
+	if !forced && !d.changed {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -386,7 +379,7 @@ func (d *document) purgeIndex(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	// Check that the rcord has been
 	// changed, and if not, return.
 
-	if !forced && !d.changed(ctx) {
+	if !forced && !d.changed {
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/event.go b/db/event.go
index 7cf30780..19921e4c 100644
--- a/db/event.go
+++ b/db/event.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func (d *document) event(ctx context.Context, met method) (err error) {
 	// then there is no need to perform
 	// any registered events.
 
-	if !forced && !d.changed(ctx) {
+	if !forced && !d.changed {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/lives.go b/db/lives.go
index cae04fa6..20f3b857 100644
--- a/db/lives.go
+++ b/db/lives.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (d *document) lives(ctx context.Context, when method) (err error) {
 	// then there is no need to update
 	// any registered live queries.
 
-	if !forced && !d.changed(ctx) {
+	if !forced && !d.changed {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/merge.go b/db/merge.go
index d0ed585e..7311896e 100644
--- a/db/merge.go
+++ b/db/merge.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 
 	"context"
+	"reflect"
 
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/cnf"
 	"github.com/abcum/surreal/sql"
@@ -74,6 +75,8 @@ func (d *document) merge(ctx context.Context, met method, data sql.Expr) (err er
 		return
 	}
 
+	d.changed = !reflect.DeepEqual(d.initial, d.current)
+
 	return
 
 }
@@ -287,8 +290,6 @@ func (d *document) mrgFld(ctx context.Context, met method) (err error) {
 	// using json, there is no specific type
 	// for a 'datetime' and 'record'.
 
-	// IMPORTANT remove this, and put it in SQL parser
-
 	d.current.Each(func(key string, val interface{}) (err error) {
 		if val, ok := conv.MightBe(val); ok {
 			d.current.Iff(val, key)
diff --git a/db/table.go b/db/table.go
index 9b6063ec..89ff7a78 100644
--- a/db/table.go
+++ b/db/table.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (d *document) table(ctx context.Context, when method) (err error) {
 	// then there is no need to update
 	// any registered foreign tables.
 
-	if !forced && !d.changed(ctx) {
+	if !forced && !d.changed {
 		return nil
 	}