diff --git a/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.test.ts b/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.test.ts
index 1d03bc55c38..f20651f53d9 100644
--- a/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.test.ts
+++ b/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.test.ts
@@ -871,6 +871,46 @@ describe('UserOperationController', () => {
         );
       });
 
+      it('does not update gas fees nor regenerate if paymaster is set but updated gas fees are zero', async () => {
+        const controller = new UserOperationController(optionsMock);
+
+        approvalControllerAddRequestMock.mockResolvedValue({
+          value: {
+            txMeta: {
+              txParams: {
+                ...ADD_USER_OPERATION_REQUEST_MOCK,
+                maxFeePerGas: '0x0',
+                maxPriorityFeePerGas: '0x0',
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        });
+
+        const { hash, id } = await addUserOperation(
+          controller,
+          ADD_USER_OPERATION_REQUEST_MOCK,
+          {
+            ...ADD_USER_OPERATION_OPTIONS_MOCK,
+            smartContractAccount,
+          },
+        );
+
+        await hash();
+
+        expect(controller.state.userOperations[id].userOperation).toStrictEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            maxFeePerGas: '0x4',
+            maxPriorityFeePerGas: '0x5',
+          }),
+        );
+        expect(smartContractAccount.prepareUserOperation).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(
+          1,
+        );
+        expect(smartContractAccount.updateUserOperation).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(
+          1,
+        );
+      });
+
       it('regenerates if gas fees updated and paymaster data set', async () => {
         const controller = new UserOperationController(optionsMock);
 
diff --git a/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.ts b/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.ts
index 5e82673ff72..af36c5393c2 100644
--- a/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.ts
+++ b/packages/user-operation-controller/src/UserOperationController.ts
@@ -770,10 +770,21 @@ export class UserOperationController extends BaseController<
     const previousMaxFeePerGas = userOperation.maxFeePerGas;
     const previousMaxPriorityFeePerGas = userOperation.maxPriorityFeePerGas;
 
-    if (
+    const gasFeesUpdated =
       previousMaxFeePerGas !== updatedMaxFeePerGas ||
-      previousMaxPriorityFeePerGas !== updatedMaxPriorityFeePerGas
-    ) {
+      previousMaxPriorityFeePerGas !== updatedMaxPriorityFeePerGas;
+
+    /**
+     * true when we detect {@link getTransactionMetadata} has set the gas fees to zero
+     * because the userOperation has a paymaster. This should not be mistaken for gas
+     * fees being updated during the approval process.
+     */
+    const areGasFeesZeroBecauseOfPaymaster =
+      usingPaymaster &&
+      updatedMaxFeePerGas === VALUE_ZERO &&
+      updatedMaxPriorityFeePerGas === VALUE_ZERO;
+
+    if (gasFeesUpdated && !areGasFeesZeroBecauseOfPaymaster) {
       log('Gas fees updated during approval', {
         previousMaxFeePerGas,
         previousMaxPriorityFeePerGas,