diff --git a/server/AyaNova/biz/WorkOrderBiz.cs b/server/AyaNova/biz/WorkOrderBiz.cs
index f7113b45..6755a757 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/biz/WorkOrderBiz.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/biz/WorkOrderBiz.cs
@@ -216,6 +216,15 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
                 AddError(ApiErrorCode.CONCURRENCY_CONFLICT);
                 return null;
             }
+
+
+            putObject.Tags = TagBiz.NormalizeTags(putObject.Tags);
+            putObject.CustomFields = JsonUtil.CompactJson(putObject.CustomFields);
+            await WorkOrderValidateAsync(putObject, dbObject);
+            if (HasErrors)
+                return null;
+            await WorkOrderBizActionsAsync(AyaEvent.Modified, putObject, dbObject, null);
+
             bool contractChanged = false;
             long? newContractId = null;
             if (putObject.ContractId != dbObject.ContractId)//manual change of contract
@@ -224,12 +233,6 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
                 newContractId = putObject.ContractId;
             }
 
-            putObject.Tags = TagBiz.NormalizeTags(putObject.Tags);
-            putObject.CustomFields = JsonUtil.CompactJson(putObject.CustomFields);
-            await WorkOrderValidateAsync(putObject, dbObject);
-            if (HasErrors)
-                return null;
-            await WorkOrderBizActionsAsync(AyaEvent.Modified, putObject, dbObject, null);
             ct.Replace(dbObject, putObject);
             try
             {
@@ -335,15 +338,18 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
                 if (newObj.CustomerId != oldObj.CustomerId)
                 {
                     await AutoSetContractAsync(newObj);
-                }
+                }               
             }
-
         }
 
         private async Task AutoSetContractAsync(WorkOrder newObj)
         {
+            //first reset contract fetched flag so a fresh copy is taken
+            //in case it was set already by other operations
+            mFetchedContractAlready = false;
+
             //CONTRACT AUTO SET
-            if (newObj.ContractId == null && newObj.CustomerId != 0)
+            if (newObj.CustomerId != 0)
             {
                 //unit->customer->headoffice
                 var cust = await ct.Customer.AsNoTracking().Where(z => z.Id == newObj.CustomerId).Select(z => new { headofficeId = z.HeadOfficeId, contractId = z.ContractId }).FirstOrDefaultAsync();
@@ -354,7 +360,9 @@ namespace AyaNova.Biz
                         newObj.ContractId = hoContractId;
                 }
                 else
-                    newObj.ContractId = cust.contractId;
+                    newObj.ContractId = cust.contractId;//if ultimately no contract for this customer or ho then it's set to null anyway which is what we want
+            }else{
+                newObj.ContractId=null;//no customer then contract
             }
 
             //RESPONSE TIME / COMPLETE BY AUTO SET