diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/editor.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/editor.js
index f2cbaf85a..7595d4698 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/editor.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/editor.js
@@ -198,14 +198,14 @@ angular.module('app')
         if(editor) {
           if(this.note.getAppDataItem("prefersPlainEditor") == true) {
             this.note.setAppDataItem("prefersPlainEditor", false);
-            this.note.setDirty(true);
+            modelManager.setItemDirty(this.note, true);
           }
           this.associateComponentWithCurrentNote(editor);
         } else {
           // Note prefers plain editor
           if(!this.note.getAppDataItem("prefersPlainEditor")) {
             this.note.setAppDataItem("prefersPlainEditor", true);
-            this.note.setDirty(true);
+            modelManager.setItemDirty(this.note, true);
           }
           $timeout(() => {
             this.reloadFont();
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ angular.module('app')
 
     this.saveNote = function(note, callback, updateClientModified, dontUpdatePreviews) {
       // We don't want to update the client modified date if toggling lock for note.
-      note.setDirty(true, updateClientModified);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(note, true, updateClientModified);
 
       if(!dontUpdatePreviews) {
         let limit = 80;
@@ -688,20 +688,12 @@ angular.module('app')
         if(data.item.content_type == "Tag") {
           var tag = modelManager.findItem(data.item.uuid);
           this.addTag(tag);
-
-          // Currently extensions are not notified of association until a full server sync completes.
-          // We need a better system for this, but for now, we'll manually notify observers
-          modelManager.notifySyncObserversOfModels([tag], SFModelManager.MappingSourceLocalSaved);
         }
       }
 
       else if(action === "deassociate-item") {
         var tag = modelManager.findItem(data.item.uuid);
         this.removeTag(tag);
-
-        // Currently extensions are not notified of association until a full server sync completes.
-        // We need a better system for this, but for now, we'll manually notify observers
-        modelManager.notifySyncObserversOfModels([tag], SFModelManager.MappingSourceLocalSaved);
       }
 
       else if(action === "save-items" || action === "save-success" || action == "save-error") {
@@ -785,7 +777,7 @@ angular.module('app')
         component.disassociatedItemIds.push(this.note.uuid);
       }
 
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       syncManager.sync();
     }
 
@@ -796,7 +788,7 @@ angular.module('app')
         component.associatedItemIds.push(this.note.uuid);
       }
 
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       syncManager.sync();
     }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/home.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/home.js
index 49e37c873..ddcc2e665 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/home.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/home.js
@@ -172,9 +172,10 @@ angular.module('app')
 
       for(var tagToRemove of toRemove) {
         tagToRemove.removeItemAsRelationship(note);
-        tagToRemove.setDirty(true);
       }
 
+      modelManager.setItemsDirty(toRemove, true);
+
       var tags = [];
       for(var tagString of stringTags) {
         var existingRelationship = _.find(note.tags, {title: tagString});
@@ -185,9 +186,10 @@ angular.module('app')
 
       for(var tag of tags) {
         tag.addItemAsRelationship(note);
-        tag.setDirty(true);
       }
 
+      modelManager.setItemsDirty(tags, true);
+
       syncManager.sync();
     }
 
@@ -219,7 +221,8 @@ angular.module('app')
         $scope.removeTag(tag);
         return;
       }
-      tag.setDirty(true);
+
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(tag, true);
       syncManager.sync().then(callback);
       modelManager.resortTag(tag);
     }
@@ -247,7 +250,7 @@ angular.module('app')
 
       if(!$scope.selectedTag.isSmartTag()) {
         $scope.selectedTag.addItemAsRelationship(note);
-        $scope.selectedTag.setDirty(true);
+        modelManager.setItemDirty($scope.selectedTag, true);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/notes.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/notes.js
index 54fc9bff6..fec78bf90 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/notes.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/notes.js
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ angular.module('app')
           this.selectedNote = note;
           if(note.content.conflict_of) {
             note.content.conflict_of = null; // clear conflict
-            note.setDirty(true);
+            modelManager.setItemDirty(note, true);
             syncManager.sync();
           }
           this.selectionMade()(note);
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/tags.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/tags.js
index 57302abc6..b653a8d89 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/tags.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/tags.js
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ angular.module('app')
       }
       this.selectedTag = tag;
       if(tag.content.conflict_of) {
-        tag.content.conflict_of = null; // clear conflict
-        tag.setDirty(true);
+        tag.content.conflict_of = null;
+        modelManager.setItemDirty(tag, true);
         syncManager.sync();
       }
       this.selectionMade()(tag);
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/editorMenu.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/editorMenu.js
index 1232e65b7..5bcc100f4 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/editorMenu.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/editorMenu.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class EditorMenu {
     };
   }
 
-  controller($scope, componentManager, syncManager, $timeout) {
+  controller($scope, componentManager, syncManager, modelManager, $timeout) {
     'ngInject';
 
     $scope.formData = {};
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class EditorMenu {
       if(component) {
         if(component.content.conflict_of) {
           component.content.conflict_of = null; // clear conflict if applicable
-          component.setDirty(true);
+          modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
           syncManager.sync();
         }
       }
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ class EditorMenu {
       var currentDefault = componentManager.componentsForArea("editor-editor").filter((e) => {return e.isDefaultEditor()})[0];
       if(currentDefault) {
         currentDefault.setAppDataItem("defaultEditor", false);
-        currentDefault.setDirty(true);
+        modelManager.setItemDirty(currentDefault, true);
       }
 
       component.setAppDataItem("defaultEditor", true);
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       syncManager.sync();
 
       $scope.defaultEditor = component;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class EditorMenu {
 
     $scope.removeEditorDefault = function(component) {
       component.setAppDataItem("defaultEditor", false);
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       syncManager.sync();
 
       $scope.defaultEditor = null;
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/revisionPreviewModal.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/revisionPreviewModal.js
index 70891f354..e1844493e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/revisionPreviewModal.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/directives/views/revisionPreviewModal.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class RevisionPreviewModal {
         modelManager.mapResponseItemsToLocalModels([item], SFModelManager.MappingSourceRemoteActionRetrieved);
       }
 
-      item.setDirty(true);
+      modelManager.setItemDirty(item, true);
       syncManager.sync();
 
       $scope.dismiss();
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/actionsManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/actionsManager.js
index 1443d8b06..d3ca5636e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/actionsManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/actionsManager.js
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ class ActionsManager {
         if(merge) {
           var items = this.modelManager.mapResponseItemsToLocalModels([item], SFModelManager.MappingSourceRemoteActionRetrieved);
           for(var mappedItem of items) {
-            mappedItem.setDirty(true);
+            this.modelManager.setItemDirty(mappedItem, true);
           }
           this.syncManager.sync();
           customCallback({item: item});
         } else {
-          item = this.modelManager.createItem(item, true /* Dont notify observers */);
+          item = this.modelManager.createItem(item);
           customCallback({item: item});
         }
         return true;
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/authManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/authManager.js
index ec54f1232..83fcabdf6 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/authManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/authManager.js
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class AuthManager extends SFAuthManager {
       // Safe to create. Create and return object.
       var prefs = new SFItem({content_type: prefsContentType});
       this.modelManager.addItem(prefs);
-      prefs.setDirty(true);
+      this.modelManager.setItemDirty(prefs, true);
       this.$rootScope.sync();
       valueCallback(prefs);
     });
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class AuthManager extends SFAuthManager {
 
   syncUserPreferences() {
     if(this.userPreferences) {
-      this.userPreferences.setDirty(true);
+      this.modelManager.setItemDirty(this.userPreferences, true);
       this.$rootScope.sync();
     }
   }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/desktopManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/desktopManager.js
index cb691e058..30c5957df 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/desktopManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/desktopManager.js
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ class DesktopManager {
       this.modelManager.notifySyncObserversOfModels([component], SFModelManager.MappingSourceDesktopInstalled);
       component.setAppDataItem("installError", null);
     }
-    component.setDirty(true);
+
+    this.modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
     this.syncManager.sync();
 
     this.timeout(() => {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/migrationManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/migrationManager.js
index 2fd873b93..5bc659ade 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/migrationManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/migrationManager.js
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ class MigrationManager extends SFMigrationManager {
               }
             })
             component.setAppDataItem("data", editor.data);
-            component.setDirty(true);
             this.modelManager.addItem(component);
+            this.modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
           }
         }
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class MigrationManager extends SFMigrationManager {
             if(clientData) {
               note.setDomainDataItem(component.uuid, clientData, ComponentManager.ClientDataDomain);
               note.setDomainDataItem(component.hosted_url, null, ComponentManager.ClientDataDomain);
-              note.setDirty(true);
+              this.modelManager.setItemDirty(note, true);
               hasChanges = true;
             }
           }
@@ -126,14 +126,14 @@ class MigrationManager extends SFMigrationManager {
             let tag = this.modelManager.findItem(reference.uuid);
             if(tag && !tag.hasRelationshipWithItem(note)) {
               tag.addItemAsRelationship(note);
-              tag.setDirty(true);
+              this.modelManager.setItemDirty(tag, true);
               dirtyCount++;
             }
           }
 
           if(newReferences.length != references.length) {
             note.content.references = newReferences;
-            note.setDirty(true);
+            this.modelManager.setItemDirty(note, true);
             dirtyCount++;
           }
         }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/modelManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/modelManager.js
index 168f551d9..218704a3f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/modelManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/modelManager.js
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ class ModelManager extends SFModelManager {
     var tag = _.find(this.tags, {title: title})
     if(!tag) {
       tag = this.createItem({content_type: "Tag", content: {title: title}});
-      tag.setDirty(true);
       this.addItem(tag);
+      this.setItemDirty(tag, true);
     }
     return tag;
   }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/nativeExtManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/nativeExtManager.js
index 9cc69d7a8..f648c5a83 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/nativeExtManager.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/nativeExtManager.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class NativeExtManager {
       }
 
       if(needsSync) {
-        resolvedSingleton.setDirty(true);
+        this.modelManager.setItemDirty(resolvedSingleton, true);
         this.syncManager.sync();
       }
     }, (valueCallback) => {
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class NativeExtManager {
       var component = this.modelManager.createItem(item);
       this.modelManager.addItem(component);
 
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      this.modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       this.syncManager.sync();
 
       this.systemExtensions.push(component.uuid);
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class NativeExtManager {
       }
 
       if(needsSync) {
-        resolvedSingleton.setDirty(true);
+        this.modelManager.setItemDirty(resolvedSingleton, true);
         this.syncManager.sync();
       }
     }, (valueCallback) => {
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class NativeExtManager {
       var component = this.modelManager.createItem(item);
       this.modelManager.addItem(component);
 
-      component.setDirty(true);
+      this.modelManager.setItemDirty(component, true);
       this.syncManager.sync();
 
       this.systemExtensions.push(component.uuid);