diff --git a/application/src/Api/Adapter/AbstractEntityAdapter.php b/application/src/Api/Adapter/AbstractEntityAdapter.php
index 6941d56be9..439b398fee 100644
--- a/application/src/Api/Adapter/AbstractEntityAdapter.php
+++ b/application/src/Api/Adapter/AbstractEntityAdapter.php
@@ -349,7 +349,11 @@ public function batchCreate(Request $request)
         $apiManager = $this->getServiceLocator()->get('Omeka\ApiManager');
         $logger = $this->getServiceLocator()->get('Omeka\Logger');
 
-        $originalIdentityMap = $this->getEntityManager()->getUnitOfWork()->getIdentityMap();
+        $detachEntities = $request->getOption('detachEntities', true);
+
+        if ($detachEntities) {
+            $originalIdentityMap = $this->getEntityManager()->getUnitOfWork()->getIdentityMap();
+        }
 
         $subresponses = [];
         $subrequestOptions = [
@@ -368,7 +372,9 @@ public function batchCreate(Request $request)
                     continue;
                 }
                 // Detatch previously persisted entities before re-throwing.
-                $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+                if ($detachEntities) {
+                    $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+                }
                 throw $e;
             }
             $subresponses[$key] = $subresponse;
@@ -385,7 +391,9 @@ public function batchCreate(Request $request)
             $entities[$key] = $entity;
         }
 
-        $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+        if ($detachEntities) {
+            $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+        }
 
         $request->setOption('responseContent', 'reference');
         return new Response($entities);
@@ -420,7 +428,11 @@ public function batchUpdate(Request $request)
         $apiManager = $this->getServiceLocator()->get('Omeka\ApiManager');
         $logger = $this->getServiceLocator()->get('Omeka\Logger');
 
-        $originalIdentityMap = $this->getEntityManager()->getUnitOfWork()->getIdentityMap();
+        $detachEntities = $request->getOption('detachEntities', true);
+
+        if ($detachEntities) {
+            $originalIdentityMap = $this->getEntityManager()->getUnitOfWork()->getIdentityMap();
+        }
 
         $subresponses = [];
         $subrequestOptions = [
@@ -441,11 +453,14 @@ public function batchUpdate(Request $request)
                     continue;
                 }
                 // Detatch managed entities before re-throwing.
-                $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+                if ($detachEntities) {
+                    $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+                }
                 throw $e;
             }
             $subresponses[$key] = $subresponse;
         }
+
         $this->getEntityManager()->flush();
 
         $entities = [];
@@ -457,7 +472,9 @@ public function batchUpdate(Request $request)
             $entity = $subresponse->getContent();
             $entities[$key] = $entity;
         }
-        $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+        if ($detachEntities) {
+            $this->detachAllNewEntities($originalIdentityMap);
+        }
 
         $request->setOption('responseContent', 'reference');
         return new Response($entities);
diff --git a/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemController.php b/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemController.php
index 19cfec8932..5311979665 100644
--- a/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemController.php
+++ b/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemController.php
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ public function batchEditAction()
                     $this->api($form)->batchUpdate('items', $resourceIds, $properties, [
                         'continueOnError' => true,
                         'collectionAction' => $collectionAction,
+                        'detachEntities' => false,
                     ]);
                 }
 
diff --git a/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemSetController.php b/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemSetController.php
index 9918b451a4..0a0b30a494 100644
--- a/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemSetController.php
+++ b/application/src/Controller/Admin/ItemSetController.php
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ public function batchEditAction()
                     $this->api($form)->batchUpdate('item_sets', $resourceIds, $properties, [
                         'continueOnError' => true,
                         'collectionAction' => $collectionAction,
+                        'detachEntites' => false,
                     ]);
                 }
 
diff --git a/application/src/Controller/Admin/MediaController.php b/application/src/Controller/Admin/MediaController.php
index 6fa44eb040..56fc0e2c96 100644
--- a/application/src/Controller/Admin/MediaController.php
+++ b/application/src/Controller/Admin/MediaController.php
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ public function batchEditAction()
                     $this->api($form)->batchUpdate('media', $resourceIds, $properties, [
                         'continueOnError' => true,
                         'collectionAction' => $collectionAction,
+                        'detachEntities' => false,
                     ]);
                 }
 
diff --git a/application/src/Controller/Admin/UserController.php b/application/src/Controller/Admin/UserController.php
index 72cac5c934..abe4273dcf 100644
--- a/application/src/Controller/Admin/UserController.php
+++ b/application/src/Controller/Admin/UserController.php
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ public function batchEditAction()
                     $this->api($form)->batchUpdate('users', $resourceIds, $properties, [
                         'continueOnError' => true,
                         'collectionAction' => $collectionAction,
+                        'detachEntities' => false,
                     ]);
                 }