diff --git a/nova/objects/request_spec.py b/nova/objects/request_spec.py
index c6521b1b3053..f37b491a9efb 100644
--- a/nova/objects/request_spec.py
+++ b/nova/objects/request_spec.py
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ class RequestSpec(base.NovaObject):
         it was originally scheduled with.
         """
         updates = self.obj_get_changes()
+        db_updates = None
         # NOTE(alaski): The db schema is the full serialized object in a
         # 'spec' column.  If anything has changed we rewrite the full thing.
         if updates:
@@ -522,7 +523,9 @@ class RequestSpec(base.NovaObject):
                                               reason='already created')
 
         updates = self._get_update_primitives()
-
+        if not updates:
+            raise exception.ObjectActionError(action='create',
+                                              reason='no fields are set')
         db_spec = self._create_in_db(self._context, updates)
         self._from_db_object(self._context, self, db_spec)
 
@@ -540,9 +543,11 @@ class RequestSpec(base.NovaObject):
     @base.remotable
     def save(self):
         updates = self._get_update_primitives()
-        db_spec = self._save_in_db(self._context, self.instance_uuid, updates)
-        self._from_db_object(self._context, self, db_spec)
-        self.obj_reset_changes()
+        if updates:
+            db_spec = self._save_in_db(self._context, self.instance_uuid,
+                                       updates)
+            self._from_db_object(self._context, self, db_spec)
+            self.obj_reset_changes()
 
     @staticmethod
     @db.api_context_manager.writer
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_request_spec.py b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_request_spec.py
index 52734fbd5b6a..d8802ac614e9 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_request_spec.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_request_spec.py
@@ -622,6 +622,16 @@ class _TestRequestSpecObject(object):
                               objects.SecurityGroupList)
         self.assertIn('security_groups', req_obj)
 
+    def test_create_raises_on_unchanged_object(self):
+        ctxt = context.RequestContext(uuids.user_id, uuids.project_id)
+        req_obj = request_spec.RequestSpec(context=ctxt)
+        self.assertRaises(exception.ObjectActionError, req_obj.create)
+
+    def test_save_can_be_called_on_unchanged_object(self):
+        req_obj = fake_request_spec.fake_spec_obj(remove_id=True)
+        req_obj.create()
+        req_obj.save()
+
 
 class TestRequestSpecObject(test_objects._LocalTest,
                             _TestRequestSpecObject):