diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorage.php
index b405a25..153866b 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorage.php
@@ -63,11 +63,15 @@ public function save($source, $alias, $langcode = LanguageInterface::LANGCODE_NO
       $operation = 'insert';
     }
     else {
+      // Fetch the current values so that an update hook can identify what
+      // exactly changed.
+      $original = $this->connection->query('SELECT source, alias, langcode FROM {url_alias} WHERE pid = :pid', array(':pid' => $pid))->fetchAssoc();
       $fields['pid'] = $pid;
       $query = $this->connection->update('url_alias')
         ->fields($fields)
         ->condition('pid', $pid);
       $pid = $query->execute();
+      $fields['original'] = $original;
       $operation = 'update';
     }
     if ($pid) {
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorageInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorageInterface.php
index a98600f..30364fd 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorageInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Path/AliasStorageInterface.php
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
    *   - alias (string): The URL alias.
    *   - pid (int): Unique path alias identifier.
    *   - langcode (string): The language code of the alias.
+   *   - original: For updates, an array with source, alias and langcode with
+   *     the previous values.
    */
   public function save($source, $alias, $langcode = LanguageInterface::LANGCODE_NOT_SPECIFIED, $pid = NULL);
 
diff --git a/core/modules/path/path.api.php b/core/modules/path/path.api.php
index 478fc6f..04e1fb3 100644
--- a/core/modules/path/path.api.php
+++ b/core/modules/path/path.api.php
@@ -31,23 +31,25 @@ function hook_path_insert($path) {
 /**
  * Respond to a path being updated.
  *
- * @param $path
+ * @param array $path
  *   The array structure is identical to that of the return value of
  *   \Drupal\Core\Path\PathInterface::save().
  *
  * @see \Drupal\Core\Path\PathInterface::save()
  */
 function hook_path_update($path) {
-  db_update('mytable')
-    ->fields(array('alias' => $path['alias']))
-    ->condition('pid', $path['pid'])
-    ->execute();
+  if ($path['alias'] != $path['original']['alias']) {
+    db_update('mytable')
+      ->fields(array('alias' => $path['alias']))
+      ->condition('pid', $path['pid'])
+      ->execute();
+  }
 }
 
 /**
  * Respond to a path being deleted.
  *
- * @param $path
+ * @param array $path
  *   The array structure is identical to that of the return value of
  *   \Drupal\Core\Path\PathInterface::save().
  *
diff --git a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Path/AliasTest.php b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Path/AliasTest.php
index 0deddc8..d91c59f 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Path/AliasTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Path/AliasTest.php
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ function testCRUD() {
 
     //Update a few aliases
     foreach ($aliases as $alias) {
-      $aliasStorage->save($alias['source'], $alias['alias'] . '_updated', $alias['langcode'], $alias['pid']);
+      $fields = $aliasStorage->save($alias['source'], $alias['alias'] . '_updated', $alias['langcode'], $alias['pid']);
+
+      $this->assertEqual($alias['alias'], $fields['original']['alias']);
 
       $result = $connection->query('SELECT pid FROM {url_alias} WHERE source = :source AND alias= :alias AND langcode = :langcode', array(':source' => $alias['source'], ':alias' => $alias['alias'] . '_updated', ':langcode' => $alias['langcode']));
       $pid = $result->fetchField();