diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a0f9ccd6822..77445653b40 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ stages:
   - unset AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
   - unset AWS_ACCOUNT_ID
   - unset AWS_DEFAULT_REGION
-  - export AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=$COM_REGION
+  - unset AWS_REGION
+  - export AWS_REGION=$COM_REGION
   - export AWS_ACCOUNT_ID=$DEV_ACCOUNT_ID
   - export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=$DEV_ACCESS_KEY_ID
   - export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=$DEV_SECRET_KEY
diff --git a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker.go b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker.go
index dcef506c978..f07a19a7627 100644
--- a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker.go
+++ b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker.go
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ func (m moveLocker) LockMove(appCtx appcontext.AppContext, move *models.Move, of
 		EagerPreload("Address", "Address.Country").
 		First(&transportationOffice)
 
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	if move.LockedByOfficeUserID != models.UUIDPointer(officeUserID) {
 		move.LockedByOfficeUserID = models.UUIDPointer(officeUserID)
 	}
@@ -60,14 +64,11 @@ func (m moveLocker) LockMove(appCtx appcontext.AppContext, move *models.Move, of
 	expirationTime := now.Add(30 * time.Minute)
 	move.LockExpiresAt = &expirationTime
 
-	transactionError := appCtx.NewTransaction(func(txnAppCtx appcontext.AppContext) error {
-		verrs, saveErr := appCtx.DB().ValidateAndSave(move)
-		if verrs != nil && verrs.HasAny() {
-			invalidInputError := apperror.NewInvalidInputError(move.ID, nil, verrs, "Could not validate move while locking it.")
+	// Store move before update
+	var moveBeforeUpdate = *move
 
-			return invalidInputError
-		}
-		if saveErr != nil {
+	transactionError := appCtx.NewTransaction(func(txnAppCtx appcontext.AppContext) error {
+		if err := appCtx.DB().RawQuery("UPDATE moves SET locked_by=?, lock_expires_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE id=?", officeUserID, expirationTime, moveBeforeUpdate.UpdatedAt, move.ID).Exec(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker_test.go b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker_test.go
index d9de371f10c..76105e97e21 100644
--- a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_locker_test.go
@@ -35,4 +35,25 @@ func (suite *MoveLockerServiceSuite) TestLockMove() {
 		suite.Equal(move.LockedByOfficeUser.TransportationOffice.Name, tooUser.TransportationOffice.Name)
 		suite.Equal(move.LockExpiresAt.Truncate(time.Minute), expirationTime)
 	})
+
+	suite.Run("locking a move doesn't change the moves updated_at value", func() {
+		tooUser := factory.BuildOfficeUserWithRoles(suite.DB(), nil, []roles.RoleType{roles.RoleTypeTOO})
+		appCtx := suite.AppContextWithSessionForTest(&auth.Session{
+			ApplicationName: auth.OfficeApp,
+			Roles:           tooUser.User.Roles,
+			OfficeUserID:    tooUser.ID,
+			IDToken:         "fake_token",
+			AccessToken:     "fakeAccessToken",
+		})
+
+		move := factory.BuildMove(suite.DB(), nil, nil)
+
+		actualMove, err := moveLocker.LockMove(appCtx, &move, tooUser.ID)
+		suite.FatalNoError(err)
+
+		suite.Equal(move.ID, actualMove.ID)
+		suite.Equal(move.LockedByOfficeUserID, &tooUser.ID)
+		suite.Equal(move.LockedByOfficeUser.TransportationOffice.Name, tooUser.TransportationOffice.Name)
+		suite.Equal(actualMove.UpdatedAt, move.UpdatedAt)
+	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker.go b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker.go
index 260ee8eb0b5..bdaf5fee4d7 100644
--- a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker.go
+++ b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker.go
@@ -42,15 +42,12 @@ func (m moveUnlocker) UnlockMove(appCtx appcontext.AppContext, move *models.Move
 		move.LockedByOfficeUser = nil
 	}
 
-	transactionError := appCtx.NewTransaction(func(txnAppCtx appcontext.AppContext) error {
-		verrs, saveErr := appCtx.DB().ValidateAndSave(move)
-		if verrs != nil && verrs.HasAny() {
-			invalidInputError := apperror.NewInvalidInputError(move.ID, nil, verrs, "Could not validate move while unlocking it.")
+	// Store move before update
+	var moveBeforeUpdate = *move
 
-			return invalidInputError
-		}
-		if saveErr != nil {
-			return saveErr
+	transactionError := appCtx.NewTransaction(func(txnAppCtx appcontext.AppContext) error {
+		if err := appCtx.DB().RawQuery("UPDATE moves SET locked_by=?, lock_expires_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE id=?", nil, nil, moveBeforeUpdate.UpdatedAt, move.ID).Exec(); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
 		return nil
diff --git a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker_test.go b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker_test.go
index 3a6c5df4987..b93492f70ff 100644
--- a/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/lock_move/move_unlocker_test.go
@@ -104,4 +104,27 @@ func (suite *MoveLockerServiceSuite) TestCheckForLockedMovesAndUnlock() {
 		suite.Nil(moveThreeInDB.LockedByOfficeUser)
 		suite.Nil(moveThreeInDB.LockExpiresAt)
 	})
+
+	suite.Run("successfully unlock move without changing updated_at", func() {
+		tooUser := factory.BuildOfficeUserWithRoles(suite.DB(), nil, []roles.RoleType{roles.RoleTypeTOO})
+		appCtx := suite.AppContextWithSessionForTest(&auth.Session{
+			ApplicationName: auth.OfficeApp,
+			Roles:           tooUser.User.Roles,
+			OfficeUserID:    tooUser.ID,
+			IDToken:         "fake_token",
+			AccessToken:     "fakeAccessToken",
+		})
+
+		move := factory.BuildMove(suite.DB(), nil, nil)
+
+		lockedMove, err := moveLocker.LockMove(appCtx, &move, tooUser.ID)
+		suite.FatalNoError(err)
+		suite.Equal(move.ID, lockedMove.ID)
+		suite.Equal(lockedMove.LockedByOfficeUserID, &tooUser.ID)
+		suite.Equal(lockedMove.UpdatedAt, move.UpdatedAt)
+
+		unlockedMove, err := moveUnlocker.UnlockMove(appCtx, lockedMove, tooUser.ID)
+		suite.FatalNoError(err)
+		suite.Equal(unlockedMove.UpdatedAt, move.UpdatedAt)
+	})
 }