diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.test.ts
index 03496be190eb1..d256fcf9b11e5 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 
 import { contextMiddleware } from '.';
 import { DataPublicPluginStart } from '../../../../../../src/plugins/data/public';
-import { disableAutoApply, initialState, setChangesApplied } from '../lens_slice';
+import { applyChanges, initialState } from '../lens_slice';
 import { LensAppState } from '../types';
 import { mockDataPlugin, mockStoreDeps } from '../../mocks';
 
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ const createMiddleware = (data: DataPublicPluginStart, state?: Partial<LensAppSt
   };
   const next = jest.fn();
 
-  const invoke = (action: PayloadAction<Partial<LensAppState>>) => middleware(store)(next)(action);
+  const invoke = (action: PayloadAction<Partial<LensAppState> | void>) =>
+    middleware(store)(next)(action);
 
   return { store, next, invoke };
 };
@@ -70,39 +71,46 @@ describe('contextMiddleware', () => {
       });
       expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(action);
     });
-    it('does NOT update the searchSessionId when user has unapplied changes', () => {
-      // setup
-      const data = mockDataPlugin();
-      (data.nowProvider.get as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(new Date(Date.now() - 30000));
-      (data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
-        from: 'now-2m',
-        to: 'now',
-      });
-      (data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getBounds as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
-        min: moment(Date.now() - 100000),
-        max: moment(Date.now() - 30000),
-      });
-      const { next, invoke, store } = createMiddleware(data, {
-        ...initialState,
-        changesApplied: false,
-        autoApplyDisabled: true,
-      });
-      const action = {
-        type: 'lens/setState',
-        payload: {
-          visualization: {
-            state: {},
-            activeId: 'id2',
+    describe('when auto-apply is disabled', () => {
+      it('only updates searchSessionId when user applies changes', () => {
+        // setup
+        const data = mockDataPlugin();
+        (data.nowProvider.get as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(new Date(Date.now() - 30000));
+        (data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+          from: 'now-2m',
+          to: 'now',
+        });
+        (data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getBounds as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+          min: moment(Date.now() - 100000),
+          max: moment(Date.now() - 30000),
+        });
+        const { invoke, store } = createMiddleware(data, {
+          ...initialState,
+          autoApplyDisabled: true,
+        });
+
+        // setState shouldn't trigger
+        const setStateAction = {
+          type: 'lens/setState',
+          payload: {
+            visualization: {
+              state: {},
+              activeId: 'id2',
+            },
           },
-        },
-      };
+        };
+        invoke(setStateAction);
+        expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+          expect.objectContaining({ type: 'lens/setState' })
+        );
 
-      // test
-      invoke(action);
-      expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        expect.objectContaining({ type: 'lens/setState' })
-      );
-      expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(action);
+        // applyChanges should trigger
+        const applyChangesAction = applyChanges();
+        invoke(applyChangesAction);
+        expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+          expect.objectContaining({ type: 'lens/setState' })
+        );
+      });
     });
     it('does not update the searchSessionId when the state changes and too little time has passed', () => {
       const data = mockDataPlugin();
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.ts
index 584968b5e7771..58c6d33d8df43 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/state_management/context_middleware/index.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,14 @@
 import { Dispatch, MiddlewareAPI, PayloadAction } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
 import moment from 'moment';
 import { DataPublicPluginStart } from '../../../../../../src/plugins/data/public';
-import { setState, LensDispatch, LensStoreDeps, navigateAway, selectChangesApplied } from '..';
+import {
+  setState,
+  LensDispatch,
+  LensStoreDeps,
+  navigateAway,
+  applyChanges,
+  selectAutoApplyEnabled,
+} from '..';
 import { LensAppState } from '../types';
 import { getResolvedDateRange, containsDynamicMath } from '../../utils';
 import { subscribeToExternalContext } from './subscribe_to_external_context';
@@ -24,7 +31,7 @@ export const contextMiddleware = (storeDeps: LensStoreDeps) => (store: Middlewar
     if (
       !action.payload?.searchSessionId &&
       !onActiveDataChange.match(action) &&
-      selectChangesApplied(store.getState())
+      (selectAutoApplyEnabled(store.getState()) || applyChanges.match(action))
     ) {
       updateTimeRange(storeDeps.lensServices.data, store.dispatch);
     }