diff --git a/neutron/plugins/ml2/driver_context.py b/neutron/plugins/ml2/driver_context.py
index 1286ccf48a2..860647d4461 100644
--- a/neutron/plugins/ml2/driver_context.py
+++ b/neutron/plugins/ml2/driver_context.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import copy
+
 from neutron_lib.api.definitions import portbindings
 from neutron_lib import constants
 from oslo_log import log
@@ -95,8 +97,10 @@ class PortContext(MechanismDriverContext, api.PortContext):
         self._original_port = original_port
         self._network_context = NetworkContext(plugin, plugin_context,
                                                network) if network else None
-        self._binding = binding
-        self._binding_levels = binding_levels
+        # NOTE(kevinbenton): these copys can go away once we are working with
+        # OVO objects here instead of native SQLA objects.
+        self._binding = copy.deepcopy(binding)
+        self._binding_levels = copy.deepcopy(binding_levels)
         self._segments_to_bind = None
         self._new_bound_segment = None
         self._next_segments_to_bind = None
diff --git a/neutron/plugins/ml2/plugin.py b/neutron/plugins/ml2/plugin.py
index 17a729d67f8..a02f54b5aee 100644
--- a/neutron/plugins/ml2/plugin.py
+++ b/neutron/plugins/ml2/plugin.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import copy
+
 from eventlet import greenthread
 from neutron_lib.api.definitions import portbindings
 from neutron_lib.api.definitions import provider_net
@@ -339,6 +341,10 @@ class Ml2Plugin(db_base_plugin_v2.NeutronDbPluginV2,
             binding.host = ''
 
         self._update_port_dict_binding(port, binding)
+        # merging here brings binding changes into the session so they can be
+        # committed since the binding attached to the context is detached from
+        # the session
+        plugin_context.session.merge(binding)
         return changes
 
     @db_api.retry_db_errors
@@ -507,6 +513,8 @@ class Ml2Plugin(db_base_plugin_v2.NeutronDbPluginV2,
                                         cur_binding.host)
                 db.set_binding_levels(plugin_context,
                                       bind_context._binding_levels)
+                # refresh context with a snapshot of updated state
+                cur_context._binding = copy.deepcopy(cur_binding)
                 cur_context._binding_levels = bind_context._binding_levels
 
                 # Update PortContext's port dictionary to reflect the
@@ -1337,6 +1345,8 @@ class Ml2Plugin(db_base_plugin_v2.NeutronDbPluginV2,
         self._update_port_dict_binding(port, binding)
         binding.host = attrs and attrs.get(portbindings.HOST_ID)
         binding.router_id = attrs and attrs.get('device_id')
+        # merge into session to reflect changes
+        plugin_context.session.merge(binding)
 
     @utils.transaction_guard
     @db_api.retry_if_session_inactive()
@@ -1557,8 +1567,7 @@ class Ml2Plugin(db_base_plugin_v2.NeutronDbPluginV2,
                     context, port['id'], host)
                 if not binding:
                     return
-                binding['status'] = status
-                binding.update(binding)
+                binding.status = status
                 updated = True
 
         if (updated and
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_plugin.py b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_plugin.py
index 880ae4baf51..e33014b1b2a 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_plugin.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_plugin.py
@@ -1606,7 +1606,8 @@ class TestMl2PortBinding(Ml2PluginV2TestCase,
             plugin = directory.get_plugin()
             binding = plugin._get_port(
                 self.context, port['port']['id']).port_binding
-            binding['host'] = 'test'
+            with self.context.session.begin(subtransactions=True):
+                binding.host = 'test'
             mech_context = driver_context.PortContext(
                 plugin, self.context, port['port'],
                 plugin.get_network(self.context, port['port']['network_id']),
@@ -1614,7 +1615,9 @@ class TestMl2PortBinding(Ml2PluginV2TestCase,
         with mock.patch('neutron.plugins.ml2.plugin.Ml2Plugin.'
                         '_update_port_dict_binding') as update_mock:
             attrs = {portbindings.HOST_ID: None}
-            plugin._process_port_binding(mech_context, attrs)
+            self.assertEqual('test', binding.host)
+            with self.context.session.begin(subtransactions=True):
+                plugin._process_port_binding(mech_context, attrs)
             self.assertTrue(update_mock.mock_calls)
             self.assertEqual('', binding.host)
 
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_port_binding.py b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_port_binding.py
index f7731042d2c..3007c114693 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_port_binding.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/test_port_binding.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from neutron_lib.api.definitions import portbindings
 from neutron_lib import constants as const
 from neutron_lib import context
 from neutron_lib.plugins import directory
+from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
 
 from neutron.conf.plugins.ml2.drivers import driver_type
 from neutron.plugins.ml2 import config
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ class PortBindingTestCase(test_plugin.NeutronDbPluginV2TestCase):
                 port_id=original_port['id'],
                 host=original_port['binding:host_id'],
                 vnic_type=original_port['binding:vnic_type'],
-                profile=original_port['binding:profile'],
+                profile=jsonutils.dumps(original_port['binding:profile']),
                 vif_type=original_port['binding:vif_type'],
                 vif_details=original_port['binding:vif_details'])
             levels = 1