diff --git a/PENDING.md b/PENDING.md
index 95396eac5f3b..60d852c7dbeb 100644
--- a/PENDING.md
+++ b/PENDING.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ IMPROVEMENTS
 * [tests] Fixes ansible scripts to work with AWS too
 * [tests] \#1806 CLI tests are now behind the build flag 'cli_test', so go test works on a new repo
 * [x/gov] Initial governance parameters can now be set in the genesis file
+* [x/stake] \#1815 Sped up the processing of `EditValidator` txs. 
 
 BUG FIXES
 *  \#1666 Add intra-tx counter to the genesis validators
diff --git a/x/stake/handler.go b/x/stake/handler.go
index 3cc122e4ca1c..9a8cee446bc6 100644
--- a/x/stake/handler.go
+++ b/x/stake/handler.go
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ func handleMsgEditValidator(ctx sdk.Context, msg types.MsgEditValidator, k keepe
 	}
 	validator.Description = description
 
-	k.UpdateValidator(ctx, validator)
+	// We don't need to run through all the power update logic within k.UpdateValidator
+	// We just need to override the entry in state, since only the description has changed.
+	k.SetValidator(ctx, validator)
 	tags := sdk.NewTags(
 		tags.Action, tags.ActionEditValidator,
 		tags.DstValidator, []byte(msg.ValidatorAddr.String()),
diff --git a/x/stake/keeper/validator.go b/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
index c7ae43cbebc1..8f9399b2af78 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ func (k Keeper) ClearTendermintUpdates(ctx sdk.Context) {
 
 //___________________________________________________________________________
 
-// Perfom all the nessisary steps for when a validator changes its power.  This
+// Perfom all the necessary steps for when a validator changes its power. This
 // function updates all validator stores as well as tendermint update store.
-// It may kick out validators if new validator is entering the bonded validator
+// It may kick out validators if a new validator is entering the bonded validator
 // group.
 //
 // nolint: gocyclo