diff --git a/cmd/admin.go b/cmd/admin.go
index aec1b8dad4..928bc1ebba 100644
--- a/cmd/admin.go
+++ b/cmd/admin.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func runChangePassword(c *cli.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%v", err)
 	}
 	user.EncodePasswd()
-	if err := models.UpdateUser(user); err != nil {
+	if err := models.UpdateUserCols(user, "passwd", "salt"); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/models/user.go b/models/user.go
index 7c523f8266..bbdec74525 100644
--- a/models/user.go
+++ b/models/user.go
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ func (u *User) SetLastLogin() {
 // UpdateDiffViewStyle updates the users diff view style
 func (u *User) UpdateDiffViewStyle(style string) error {
 	u.DiffViewStyle = style
-	return UpdateUser(u)
+	return UpdateUserCols(u, "diff_view_style")
 }
 
 // AfterSet is invoked from XORM after setting the value of a field of this object.
@@ -860,7 +860,9 @@ func updateUser(e Engine, u *User) error {
 		if len(u.AvatarEmail) == 0 {
 			u.AvatarEmail = u.Email
 		}
-		u.Avatar = base.HashEmail(u.AvatarEmail)
+		if len(u.AvatarEmail) > 0 {
+			u.Avatar = base.HashEmail(u.AvatarEmail)
+		}
 	}
 
 	u.LowerName = strings.ToLower(u.Name)
@@ -877,6 +879,29 @@ func UpdateUser(u *User) error {
 	return updateUser(x, u)
 }
 
+// UpdateUserCols update user according special columns
+func UpdateUserCols(u *User, cols ...string) error {
+	// Organization does not need email
+	u.Email = strings.ToLower(u.Email)
+	if !u.IsOrganization() {
+		if len(u.AvatarEmail) == 0 {
+			u.AvatarEmail = u.Email
+		}
+		if len(u.AvatarEmail) > 0 {
+			u.Avatar = base.HashEmail(u.AvatarEmail)
+		}
+	}
+
+	u.LowerName = strings.ToLower(u.Name)
+	u.Location = base.TruncateString(u.Location, 255)
+	u.Website = base.TruncateString(u.Website, 255)
+	u.Description = base.TruncateString(u.Description, 255)
+
+	cols = append(cols, "updated_unix")
+	_, err := x.Id(u.ID).Cols(cols...).Update(u)
+	return err
+}
+
 // UpdateUserSetting updates user's settings.
 func UpdateUserSetting(u *User) error {
 	if !u.IsOrganization() {
@@ -1418,7 +1443,7 @@ func SyncExternalUsers() {
 						}
 						usr.IsActive = true
 
-						err = UpdateUser(usr)
+						err = UpdateUserCols(usr, "full_name", "email", "is_admin", "is_active")
 						if err != nil {
 							log.Error(4, "SyncExternalUsers[%s]: Error updating user %s: %v", s.Name, usr.Name, err)
 						}
@@ -1440,7 +1465,7 @@ func SyncExternalUsers() {
 						log.Trace("SyncExternalUsers[%s]: Deactivating user %s", s.Name, usr.Name)
 
 						usr.IsActive = false
-						err = UpdateUser(&usr)
+						err = UpdateUserCols(&usr, "is_active")
 						if err != nil {
 							log.Error(4, "SyncExternalUsers[%s]: Error deactivating user %s: %v", s.Name, usr.Name, err)
 						}
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/org/org.go b/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
index e4a36b95c0..ec55b9ebe4 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func Edit(ctx *context.APIContext, form api.EditOrgOption) {
 	org.Description = form.Description
 	org.Website = form.Website
 	org.Location = form.Location
-	if err := models.UpdateUser(org); err != nil {
+	if err := models.UpdateUserCols(org, "full_name", "description", "website", "location"); err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/routers/user/auth.go b/routers/user/auth.go
index f1aa9d26a8..b2caba0bb1 100644
--- a/routers/user/auth.go
+++ b/routers/user/auth.go
@@ -340,8 +340,8 @@ func handleSignInFull(ctx *context.Context, u *models.User, remember bool, obeyR
 
 	// Register last login
 	u.SetLastLogin()
-	if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
-		ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
+	if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "last_login_unix"); err != nil {
+		ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUserCols", err)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -430,8 +430,8 @@ func handleOAuth2SignIn(u *models.User, gothUser goth.User, ctx *context.Context
 
 			// Register last login
 			u.SetLastLogin()
-			if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
-				ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
+			if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "last_login_unix"); err != nil {
+				ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUserCols", err)
 				return
 			}
 
@@ -666,7 +666,8 @@ func LinkAccountPostRegister(ctx *context.Context, cpt *captcha.Captcha, form au
 	if models.CountUsers() == 1 {
 		u.IsAdmin = true
 		u.IsActive = true
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
+		u.SetLastLogin()
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "is_admin", "is_active", "last_login_unix"); err != nil {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}
@@ -781,7 +782,8 @@ func SignUpPost(ctx *context.Context, cpt *captcha.Captcha, form auth.RegisterFo
 	if models.CountUsers() == 1 {
 		u.IsAdmin = true
 		u.IsActive = true
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
+		u.SetLastLogin()
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "is_admin", "is_active", "last_login_unix"); err != nil {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}
@@ -840,7 +842,7 @@ func Activate(ctx *context.Context) {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(user); err != nil {
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(user, "is_active", "rands"); err != nil {
 			if models.IsErrUserNotExist(err) {
 				ctx.Error(404)
 			} else {
@@ -991,7 +993,7 @@ func ResetPasswdPost(ctx *context.Context) {
 			return
 		}
 		u.EncodePasswd()
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "passwd", "rands", "salt"); err != nil {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/routers/user/auth_openid.go b/routers/user/auth_openid.go
index ff03e538f8..dcc3fcf0fc 100644
--- a/routers/user/auth_openid.go
+++ b/routers/user/auth_openid.go
@@ -404,7 +404,8 @@ func RegisterOpenIDPost(ctx *context.Context, cpt *captcha.Captcha, form auth.Si
 	if models.CountUsers() == 1 {
 		u.IsAdmin = true
 		u.IsActive = true
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(u); err != nil {
+		u.SetLastLogin()
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(u, "is_admin", "is_active", "last_login_unix"); err != nil {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/routers/user/setting.go b/routers/user/setting.go
index b6bd4ed5c2..93376043e0 100644
--- a/routers/user/setting.go
+++ b/routers/user/setting.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func UpdateAvatarSetting(ctx *context.Context, form auth.AvatarForm, ctxUser *mo
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := models.UpdateUser(ctxUser); err != nil {
+	if err := models.UpdateUserCols(ctxUser, "avatar", "avatar_email", "use_custom_avatar"); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("UpdateUser: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func SettingsPasswordPost(ctx *context.Context, form auth.ChangePasswordForm) {
 			return
 		}
 		ctx.User.EncodePasswd()
-		if err := models.UpdateUser(ctx.User); err != nil {
+		if err := models.UpdateUserCols(ctx.User, "salt", "passwd"); err != nil {
 			ctx.Handle(500, "UpdateUser", err)
 			return
 		}