diff --git a/test/api/v3/unit/middlewares/cronMiddleware.js b/test/api/v3/unit/middlewares/cronMiddleware.js
index f973bfe36d..e18301b91b 100644
--- a/test/api/v3/unit/middlewares/cronMiddleware.js
+++ b/test/api/v3/unit/middlewares/cronMiddleware.js
@@ -166,8 +166,11 @@ describe('cron middleware', () => {
     await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       cronMiddleware(req, res, (err) => {
         if (err) return reject(err);
-        expect(user.stats.hp).to.be.lessThan(hpBefore);
-        resolve();
+        User.findOne({_id: user._id}, function (secondErr, updatedUser) {
+          if (secondErr) return reject(secondErr);
+          expect(updatedUser.stats.hp).to.be.lessThan(hpBefore);
+          resolve();
+        });
       });
     });
   });
@@ -217,8 +220,11 @@ describe('cron middleware', () => {
     await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       cronMiddleware(req, res, (err) => {
         if (err) return reject(err);
-        expect(user.stats.hp).to.be.lessThan(hpBefore);
-        resolve();
+        User.findOne({_id: user._id}, function (secondErr, updatedUser) {
+          if (secondErr) return reject(secondErr);
+          expect(updatedUser.stats.hp).to.be.lessThan(hpBefore);
+          resolve();
+        });
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/website/server/middlewares/cron.js b/website/server/middlewares/cron.js
index 750cf1ab8c..15a66b02bf 100644
--- a/website/server/middlewares/cron.js
+++ b/website/server/middlewares/cron.js
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ async function checkForActiveCron (user, now) {
   }, {
     $set: {
       _cronSignature,
-      lastCron: now, // setting lastCron now so we don't risk re-running parts of cron if it fails
       'auth.timestamps.loggedin': now,
     },
   }).exec();
@@ -35,6 +34,14 @@ async function checkForActiveCron (user, now) {
   }
 }
 
+async function updateLastCron (user, now) {
+  await User.update({
+    _id: user._id,
+  }, {
+    lastCron: now, // setting lastCron now so we don't risk re-running parts of cron if it fails
+  }).exec();
+}
+
 async function unlockUser (user) {
   await User.update({
     _id: user._id,
@@ -51,9 +58,12 @@ async function cronAsync (req, res) {
   let now = new Date();
 
   try {
+    await checkForActiveCron(user, now);
+
+    user = res.locals.user = await User.findOne({_id: user._id}).exec();
     let {daysMissed, timezoneOffsetFromUserPrefs} = user.daysUserHasMissed(now, req);
 
-    await checkForActiveCron(user, now);
+    await updateLastCron(user, now);
 
     if (daysMissed <= 0) {
       if (user.isModified()) await user.save();