diff --git a/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepository.java b/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepository.java
index 3dd173746..ae3828fe7 100644
--- a/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepository.java
+++ b/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepository.java
@@ -80,8 +80,11 @@ default void updateConceptSyncAttributesForSubjectType(Long subjectTypeId, Strin
 
     default EntityApprovalStatus saveEAS(EntityApprovalStatus entityToSave) {
         EntityApprovalStatus latestEAS = this.findFirstByEntityIdAndEntityTypeAndIsVoidedFalseOrderByStatusDateTimeDesc(entityToSave.getEntityId(), entityToSave.getEntityType());
-        if (latestEAS != null && latestEAS.getApprovalStatus().getStatus().equals(entityToSave.getApprovalStatus().getStatus()))
-            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("The latest approval for this entity has the same latest status. %s %s %s", entityToSave.getEntityType(), entityToSave.getEntityId(), entityToSave.getApprovalStatus().getStatus()));
+        if (latestEAS != null && latestEAS.getApprovalStatus().getStatus().equals(entityToSave.getApprovalStatus().getStatus())) {
+            return null;
+            // check the number clients on version < 6.1 before uncommenting
+//            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("The latest approval for this entity has the same latest status. %s %s %s", entityToSave.getEntityType(), entityToSave.getEntityId(), entityToSave.getApprovalStatus().getStatus()));
+        }
         return this.save(entityToSave);
     }
 }
diff --git a/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/service/EntityApprovalStatusService.java b/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/service/EntityApprovalStatusService.java
index 563d0c4d6..783616885 100644
--- a/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/service/EntityApprovalStatusService.java
+++ b/avni-server-api/src/main/java/org/avni/server/service/EntityApprovalStatusService.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public EntityApprovalStatusService(EntityApprovalStatusRepository entityApproval
         this.typeMap.put(ProgramEnrolment, programEnrolmentRepository);
     }
 
-    public EntityApprovalStatus save(EntityApprovalStatusRequest request) {
+    public void save(EntityApprovalStatusRequest request) {
         EntityApprovalStatus entityApprovalStatus = entityApprovalStatusRepository.findByUuid(request.getUuid());
         if (entityApprovalStatus == null) {
             entityApprovalStatus = new EntityApprovalStatus();
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public EntityApprovalStatus save(EntityApprovalStatusRequest request) {
 
         CHSEntity chsEntity = this.typeMap.get(entityType).findByUuid(request.getEntityUuid());
         updateIndividualAndSyncAttributes(chsEntity, entityApprovalStatus, entityType);
-        return entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus);
+        entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus);
     }
 
     public void createStatus(EntityApprovalStatus.EntityType entityType, Long entityId, ApprovalStatus.Status status, String entityTypeUuid, FormMapping formMapping) {
diff --git a/avni-server-api/src/test/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepositoryIntegrationTest.java b/avni-server-api/src/test/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
index ebd9085ea..a2fff4678 100644
--- a/avni-server-api/src/test/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/avni-server-api/src/test/java/org/avni/server/dao/EntityApprovalStatusRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.test.context.jdbc.Sql;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 @Sql(value = {"/tear-down.sql"}, executionPhase = Sql.ExecutionPhase.BEFORE_TEST_METHOD)
 @Sql(value = {"/tear-down.sql"}, executionPhase = Sql.ExecutionPhase.AFTER_TEST_METHOD)
@@ -63,11 +63,8 @@ public void doNotAllowDuplicateEAS() {
                 .setStatusDateTime(new DateTime())
                 .setEntityId(subject.getId())
                 .setIndividual(subject).build();
-        try {
-            entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus2);
-            fail();
-        } catch (RuntimeException re) {
-        }
+
+        assertNull(entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus2));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -79,7 +76,7 @@ public void allow_Same_EAS_If_There_Is_Intermediate_EAS_With_Different_Status()
                 .setStatusDateTime(new DateTime())
                 .setEntityId(subject.getId())
                 .setIndividual(subject).build();
-        entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus2);
+        assertNotNull(entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus2));
 
         EntityApprovalStatus entityApprovalStatus3 = new EntityApprovalStatusBuilder()
                 .setEntityType(EntityApprovalStatus.EntityType.Subject)
@@ -87,6 +84,6 @@ public void allow_Same_EAS_If_There_Is_Intermediate_EAS_With_Different_Status()
                 .setStatusDateTime(new DateTime())
                 .setEntityId(subject.getId())
                 .setIndividual(subject).build();
-        entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus3);
+        assertNotNull(entityApprovalStatusRepository.saveEAS(entityApprovalStatus3));
     }
 }