diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1cab4c6..acc5eda 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,30 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+Ported from the corresponding fixes in `nitrite-java`, where each was found.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **A unique index no longer rejects a document over a key that document already holds.**
+  `add_nitrite_ids` treated *any* existing id under the key as a violation, so it counted the
+  writer's own id against it. That bites a unique index over an array field with a repeated
+  element — `["a", "b", "a"]` visits `a` twice, and the second visit collided with the entry the
+  first had just written — and any path that reaches a key the document already owns, such as an
+  index rebuild or a replayed write. Another document under the key is still a violation.
+  (nitrite/nitrite-java#1295)
+
+### Changed
+
+- **An update that leaves an indexed value unchanged no longer rewrites the index.**
+  `update_index_entry` treated an index as affected whenever the update document carried the
+  indexed field, and then removed and rewrote the entry. An update that writes the whole document
+  back — the common upsert shape — carries every indexed field with its old value, so every index
+  was rebuilt on every update for nothing. The old and new values are now compared, and the index
+  is left alone when they match. A dirty index is still rebuilt, since that has to happen on the
+  first write regardless. (nitrite/nitrite-java#1297)
+
 ## [1.0.0] - 2026-09-01
 
 **Why 1.0.0 and not 0.11.0.** The storage engine underneath the adapter changed major version, and
diff --git a/nitrite/src/collection/operation/index_writer.rs b/nitrite/src/collection/operation/index_writer.rs
index c1f8747..d871de9 100644
--- a/nitrite/src/collection/operation/index_writer.rs
+++ b/nitrite/src/collection/operation/index_writer.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use super::index_operations::IndexOperations;
 use crate::{
     collection::Document,
     errors::NitriteResult,
+    Fields,
     get_document_values,
     index::{IndexDescriptor, NitriteIndexer, NitriteIndexerProvider},
     is_affected_by_update,
@@ -157,6 +158,16 @@ impl DocumentIndexWriterInner {
             let fields = index_descriptor.index_fields();
 
             if is_affected_by_update(&fields, updated_fields) {
+                // "affected" only means the update carries the field. An update that writes
+                // the whole document back, the common upsert shape, carries every indexed
+                // field with its old value, and rewriting those entries is pure cost. A
+                // dirty index still has to be rebuilt, so that case is not skipped.
+                if !self.index_operation.should_rebuild_index(&fields)?
+                    && self.same_indexed_values(old_document, new_document, &fields)?
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 let index_type = index_descriptor.index_type();
                 let mut indexer = self.nitrite_config.find_indexer(&index_type)?;
 
@@ -167,6 +178,20 @@ impl DocumentIndexWriterInner {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Whether the two documents hold the same values for every field of the index.
+    /// `Value` compares structurally, so arrays and embedded documents count as equal
+    /// when their contents are.
+    fn same_indexed_values(
+        &self,
+        old_document: &mut Document,
+        new_document: &mut Document,
+        fields: &Fields,
+    ) -> NitriteResult<bool> {
+        let before = get_document_values(old_document, fields)?;
+        let after = get_document_values(new_document, fields)?;
+        Ok(before.values() == after.values())
+    }
+
     fn write_index_entry_internal(
         &self,
         index_descriptor: &IndexDescriptor,
diff --git a/nitrite/src/index/simple_index.rs b/nitrite/src/index/simple_index.rs
index b28f166..2a1aeee 100644
--- a/nitrite/src/index/simple_index.rs
+++ b/nitrite/src/index/simple_index.rs
@@ -164,10 +164,16 @@ impl SimpleIndexInner {
         nitrite_ids: &mut Vec<Value>,
         field_values: &FieldValues,
     ) -> NitriteResult<Vec<Value>> {
-        if self.is_unique() && nitrite_ids.len() == 1 {
-            // if key is already exists for unique type, throw error
-            log::debug!("Unique constraint violated for {:?}", field_values);
-            return Err(UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT_ERROR.clone());
+        if self.is_unique() && !nitrite_ids.is_empty() {
+            // Another document already holds this key: a violation. The same document
+            // again is not - a unique index over an array field visits a repeated element
+            // once per occurrence, and a rebuild or a replayed write reaches the key it
+            // already owns.
+            let own_id = Value::NitriteId(*field_values.nitrite_id());
+            if nitrite_ids.iter().any(|id| id != &own_id) {
+                log::debug!("Unique constraint violated for {:?}", field_values);
+                return Err(UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT_ERROR.clone());
+            }
         }
 
         // index always are in ascending format
@@ -491,14 +497,15 @@ mod tests {
         let simple_index = SimpleIndex::new(index_descriptor, nitrite_store);
 
         let index_map = simple_index.find_index_map().unwrap();
-        let field_values = create_test_field_values();
+        // two different documents under the same key: that is the violation
+        let first = create_test_field_values();
+        let second = create_test_field_values();
         let value = Value::String("test_value".to_string());
 
-        // Add the same element twice to trigger unique constraint violation
         simple_index
-            .add_index_element(&index_map, &field_values, &value)
+            .add_index_element(&index_map, &first, &value)
             .unwrap();
-        let result = simple_index.add_index_element(&index_map, &field_values, &value);
+        let result = simple_index.add_index_element(&index_map, &second, &value);
 
         assert!(result.is_err());
         assert_eq!(
@@ -507,6 +514,35 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_simple_index_add_index_element_same_document_twice_is_not_a_violation() {
+        // A unique index over an array field visits a repeated element once per
+        // occurrence, and a rebuild reaches keys the document already owns. Writing the
+        // key a document already holds is a no-op, not a constraint violation.
+        let index_descriptor = create_test_index_descriptor();
+        let nitrite_store = NitriteStore::default();
+        let simple_index = SimpleIndex::new(index_descriptor, nitrite_store);
+
+        let index_map = simple_index.find_index_map().unwrap();
+        let field_values = create_test_field_values();
+        let value = Value::String("test_value".to_string());
+
+        simple_index
+            .add_index_element(&index_map, &field_values, &value)
+            .unwrap();
+        simple_index
+            .add_index_element(&index_map, &field_values, &value)
+            .expect("rewriting the same document under the same key must not violate");
+
+        // and the key still resolves to exactly that one document
+        let stored = index_map.get(&value).unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            stored.as_array().map(|a| a.len()),
+            Some(1),
+            "the key must hold one id, not a duplicate"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_simple_index_remove_index_element_not_found() {
         let index_descriptor = create_test_index_descriptor();