diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_pull_requests.py b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_pull_requests.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_pull_requests.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_pull_requests.py
@@ -1269,6 +1269,9 @@ class RepoPullRequestsView(RepoAppView, 
 
         c = self.load_default_context()
         redirect_url = None
+        # we do this check as first, because we want to know ASAP in the flow that
+        # pr is updating currently
+        is_state_changing = pull_request.is_state_changing()
 
         if pull_request.is_closed():
             log.debug('update: forbidden because pull request is closed')
@@ -1277,7 +1280,6 @@ class RepoPullRequestsView(RepoAppView, 
             return {'response': True,
                     'redirect_url': redirect_url}
 
-        is_state_changing = pull_request.is_state_changing()
         c.pr_broadcast_channel = channelstream.pr_channel(pull_request)
 
         # only owner or admin can update it
@@ -1286,7 +1288,8 @@ class RepoPullRequestsView(RepoAppView, 
 
         if allowed_to_update:
             controls = peppercorn.parse(self.request.POST.items())
-            force_refresh = str2bool(self.request.POST.get('force_refresh'))
+            force_refresh = str2bool(self.request.POST.get('force_refresh', 'false'))
+            do_update_commits = str2bool(self.request.POST.get('update_commits', 'false'))
 
             if 'review_members' in controls:
                 self._update_reviewers(
@@ -1300,7 +1303,7 @@ class RepoPullRequestsView(RepoAppView, 
                     pull_request, controls['observer_members'],
                     pull_request.reviewer_data,
                     PullRequestReviewers.ROLE_OBSERVER)
-            elif str2bool(self.request.POST.get('update_commits', 'false')):
+            elif do_update_commits:
                 if is_state_changing:
                     log.debug('commits update: forbidden because pull request is in state %s',
                               pull_request.pull_request_state)
@@ -1353,8 +1356,9 @@ class RepoPullRequestsView(RepoAppView, 
 
     def _update_commits(self, c, pull_request):
         _ = self.request.translate
+        log.debug('pull-request: running update commits actions')
 
-        @retry(exception=Exception, n_tries=3)
+        @retry(exception=Exception, n_tries=3, delay=2)
         def commits_update():
             return PullRequestModel().update_commits(
                 pull_request, self._rhodecode_db_user)