diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/CreateChangeSender.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/CreateChangeSender.java
index 3c9f39c01e..f570ac8253 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/CreateChangeSender.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/CreateChangeSender.java
@@ -45,30 +45,32 @@ public class CreateChangeSender extends NewChangeSender {
   protected void init() throws EmailException {
     super.init();
 
-    try {
-      // Try to mark interested owners with TO and CC or BCC line.
-      Watchers matching = getWatchers(NotifyType.NEW_CHANGES);
-      for (Account.Id user : Iterables.concat(
-          matching.to.accounts,
-          matching.cc.accounts,
-          matching.bcc.accounts)) {
-        if (isOwnerOfProjectOrBranch(user)) {
-          add(RecipientType.TO, user);
+    if (change.getStatus() == Change.Status.NEW) {
+      try {
+        // Try to mark interested owners with TO and CC or BCC line.
+        Watchers matching = getWatchers(NotifyType.NEW_CHANGES);
+        for (Account.Id user : Iterables.concat(
+            matching.to.accounts,
+            matching.cc.accounts,
+            matching.bcc.accounts)) {
+          if (isOwnerOfProjectOrBranch(user)) {
+            add(RecipientType.TO, user);
+          }
         }
+
+        // Add everyone else. Owners added above will not be duplicated.
+        add(RecipientType.TO, matching.to);
+        add(RecipientType.CC, matching.cc);
+        add(RecipientType.BCC, matching.bcc);
+      } catch (OrmException err) {
+        // Just don't CC everyone. Better to send a partial message to those
+        // we already have queued up then to fail deliver entirely to people
+        // who have a lower interest in the change.
+        log.warn("Cannot notify watchers for new change", err);
       }
 
-      // Add everyone else. Owners added above will not be duplicated.
-      add(RecipientType.TO, matching.to);
-      add(RecipientType.CC, matching.cc);
-      add(RecipientType.BCC, matching.bcc);
-    } catch (OrmException err) {
-      // Just don't CC everyone. Better to send a partial message to those
-      // we already have queued up then to fail deliver entirely to people
-      // who have a lower interest in the change.
-      log.warn("Cannot notify watchers for new change", err);
+      includeWatchers(NotifyType.NEW_PATCHSETS);
     }
-
-    includeWatchers(NotifyType.NEW_PATCHSETS);
   }
 
   private boolean isOwnerOfProjectOrBranch(Account.Id user) {