diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/management.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/management.py
index 59520de001..32f6b80946 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/management.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/management.py
@@ -114,11 +114,17 @@ class RedfishManagement(base.ManagementInterface):
         """
         system = redfish_utils.get_system(task.node)
 
+        desired_persistence = BOOT_DEVICE_PERSISTENT_MAP_REV[persistent]
+        current_persistence = system.boot.get('enabled')
+
+        # NOTE(etingof): this can be racy, esp if BMC is not RESTful
+        enabled = (desired_persistence
+                   if desired_persistence != current_persistence else None)
+
         try:
             try:
                 system.set_system_boot_options(
-                    BOOT_DEVICE_MAP_REV[device],
-                    enabled=BOOT_DEVICE_PERSISTENT_MAP_REV[persistent])
+                    BOOT_DEVICE_MAP_REV[device], enabled=enabled)
             except AttributeError:
                 system.set_system_boot_source(
                     BOOT_DEVICE_MAP_REV[device],
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/redfish/test_management.py b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/redfish/test_management.py
index 19241fcbcd..bf9887f5cc 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/redfish/test_management.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/redfish/test_management.py
@@ -146,6 +146,31 @@ class RedfishManagementTestCase(db_base.DbTestCase):
                 fake_system.set_system_boot_options.reset_mock()
                 mock_get_system.reset_mock()
 
+    @mock.patch.object(redfish_utils, 'get_system', autospec=True)
+    def test_set_boot_device_persistency_no_change(self, mock_get_system):
+        fake_system = mock.Mock()
+        mock_get_system.return_value = fake_system
+        with task_manager.acquire(self.context, self.node.uuid,
+                                  shared=False) as task:
+            expected_values = [
+                (True, sushy.BOOT_SOURCE_ENABLED_CONTINUOUS),
+                (False, sushy.BOOT_SOURCE_ENABLED_ONCE)
+            ]
+
+            for target, expected in expected_values:
+                fake_system.boot.get.return_value = expected
+
+                task.driver.management.set_boot_device(
+                    task, boot_devices.PXE, persistent=target)
+
+                fake_system.set_system_boot_options.assert_called_once_with(
+                    sushy.BOOT_SOURCE_TARGET_PXE, enabled=None)
+                mock_get_system.assert_called_once_with(task.node)
+
+                # Reset mocks
+                fake_system.set_system_boot_options.reset_mock()
+                mock_get_system.reset_mock()
+
     @mock.patch.object(sushy, 'Sushy', autospec=True)
     @mock.patch.object(redfish_utils, 'get_system', autospec=True)
     def test_set_boot_device_fail(self, mock_get_system, mock_sushy):
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/improve-redfish-set-boot-device-e38e9e9442ab5750.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/improve-redfish-set-boot-device-e38e9e9442ab5750.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2ff17280d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/improve-redfish-set-boot-device-e38e9e9442ab5750.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Makes management interface of ``redfish`` hardware type not changing
+    current boot frequency if currently set is the same as the desired one.
+    The goal is to avoid touching potentially faulty BMC option whenever
+    possible.