diff --git a/app/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory.rb b/app/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory.rb
index f7e85c92da8..ba47b9bd461 100644
--- a/app/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory.rb
+++ b/app/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ def save_vms_inventory(ems, hashes, target = nil, disconnect = true)
     ]
     remove_keys = child_keys + extra_infra_keys + extra_cloud_keys
 
+    vms_by_ems_ref = ems.vms_and_templates.group_by(&:ems_ref).except(nil)
+
     # Query for all of the Vms once across all EMSes, to handle any moving VMs
     vms_uids = hashes.collect { |h| h[:uid_ems] }.compact
     vms = VmOrTemplate.where(:uid_ems => vms_uids).to_a
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ def save_vms_inventory(ems, hashes, target = nil, disconnect = true)
 
           # Find the Vm in the database with the current uid_ems.  In the event
           #   of duplicates, try to determine which one is correct.
-          found = vms_by_uid_ems[h[:uid_ems]] || []
+          found = vms_by_ems_ref[h[:ems_ref]] || vms_by_uid_ems[h[:uid_ems]] || []
 
           if found.length > 1 || (found.length == 1 && found.first.ems_id)
             found_dups = found
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ def save_vms_inventory(ems, hashes, target = nil, disconnect = true)
             # build a type-specific vm or template
             found = ems.vms_and_templates.klass.new(h)
           else
-            vms_by_uid_ems[h[:uid_ems]].delete(found)
+            vms_by_uid_ems[h[:uid_ems]]&.delete(found)
             h.delete(:type)
 
             _log.info("#{log_header} Updating #{type} [#{found.name}] id: [#{found.id}] location: [#{found.location}] storage id: [#{found.storage_id}] uid_ems: [#{found.uid_ems}] ems_ref: [#{h[:ems_ref]}]")
diff --git a/spec/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory_spec.rb b/spec/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory_spec.rb
index 28e162930e3..507608c9635 100644
--- a/spec/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ems_refresh/save_inventory_spec.rb
@@ -123,29 +123,19 @@
         expect(v2.uid_ems).to eq(@vm2.uid_ems)
       end
 
-      it "should handle dups in the raw data" do
+      it "should update the existing vm's uid_ems even if it is a duplicate" do
         data = raw_data_with_dups(@vm1, @vm2)
         EmsRefresh.save_vms_inventory(@ems, data)
 
         vms = Vm.all
-        expect(vms.length).to eq(3)
-
-        disconnected, connected = vms.partition { |v| v.ems_id.nil? }
-        expect(disconnected.length).to eq(1)
-        expect(connected.length).to eq(2)
-
-        d      = disconnected.first
-        c1, c2 = connected.sort_by(&:id)
-
-        expect(d.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(d.uid_ems).to eq(@vm2.uid_ems)
+        expect(vms.length).to eq(2)
+        v1, v2 = vms.sort_by(&:id)
 
-        expect(c1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
+        expect(v1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
 
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(c2.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v2.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
+        expect(v2.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
       end
     end
 
@@ -156,29 +146,19 @@
         @vm2 = FactoryBot.create(:vm_with_ref, :ext_management_system => @ems, :uid_ems => @uid)
       end
 
-      it "should handle no dups in the raw data" do
+      it "should update the duplicate records in the database with the new uid_ems" do
         data = raw_data_without_dups(@vm1, @vm2)
         EmsRefresh.save_vms_inventory(@ems, data)
 
         vms = Vm.all
-        expect(vms.length).to eq(3)
-
-        disconnected, connected = vms.partition { |v| v.ems_id.nil? }
-        expect(disconnected.length).to eq(1)
-        expect(connected.length).to eq(2)
-
-        d      = disconnected.first
-        c1, c2 = connected.sort_by(&:id)
-
-        expect(d.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(d.uid_ems).to eq(@vm2.uid_ems)
+        expect(vms.length).to eq(2)
+        v1, v2 = vms.sort_by(&:id)
 
-        expect(c1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
+        expect(v1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
 
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(c2.uid_ems).not_to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v2.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
+        expect(v2.uid_ems).not_to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
       end
 
       it "should handle dups in the raw data" do
@@ -204,29 +184,19 @@
         @vm2 = FactoryBot.create(:vm_with_ref, :ext_management_system => @ems, :uid_ems => @uid)
       end
 
-      it "should handle no dups in the raw data" do
+      it "should reconnect the disconnected vm and update the active vm" do
         data = raw_data_without_dups(@vm1, @vm2)
         EmsRefresh.save_vms_inventory(@ems, data)
 
         vms = Vm.all
-        expect(vms.length).to eq(3)
-
-        disconnected, connected = vms.partition { |v| v.ems_id.nil? }
-        expect(disconnected.length).to eq(1)
-        expect(connected.length).to eq(2)
-
-        d      = disconnected.first
-        c1, c2 = connected.sort_by(&:id)
-
-        expect(d.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(d.uid_ems).to eq(@vm2.uid_ems)
+        expect(vms.length).to eq(2)
+        v1, v2 = vms.sort_by(&:id)
 
-        expect(c1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v1.id).to eq(@vm1.id)
+        expect(v1.uid_ems).to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
 
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm1.id)
-        expect(c2.id).not_to eq(@vm2.id)
-        expect(c2.uid_ems).not_to eq(@vm1.uid_ems)
+        expect(v2.id).to eq(@vm2.id)
+        expect(v2.uid_ems).not_to eq(@vm2.uid_ems)
       end
 
       it "should handle dups in the raw data" do
@@ -299,6 +269,7 @@
 
         @ems_ref1 = @vm1.ems_ref_obj
         @ems_ref2 = @vm2.ems_ref_obj
+        @vm1.ems_ref     = @vm2.ems_ref     = nil
         @vm1.ems_ref_obj = @vm2.ems_ref_obj = nil
         @vm1.save
         @vm2.save
@@ -307,7 +278,9 @@
       # TODO: DRY up these tests with the others just like them
       it "should handle no dups in the raw data" do
         data = raw_data_without_dups(@vm1, @vm2)
+        data[0][:ems_ref]     = @ems_ref1
         data[0][:ems_ref_obj] = @ems_ref1
+        data[1][:ems_ref]     = @ems_ref2
         data[1][:ems_ref_obj] = @ems_ref2
         EmsRefresh.save_vms_inventory(@ems, data)
 
@@ -324,7 +297,9 @@
 
       it "should handle dups in the raw data" do
         data = raw_data_with_dups(@vm1, @vm2)
+        data[0][:ems_ref]     = @ems_ref1
         data[0][:ems_ref_obj] = @ems_ref1
+        data[1][:ems_ref]     = @ems_ref2
         data[1][:ems_ref_obj] = @ems_ref2
         EmsRefresh.save_vms_inventory(@ems, data)