diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 895c1cc4eaf..c2c80aa33e6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ Change Log
 
 Unreleased
 ~~~~~~~~~~
+
+[3.13.1] - 2021-06-08
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+* If an attempt transitions from `ready_to_submit` back to `started`, the proctoring provider
+  backend function `start_exam_attempt` will not be called.
+
+[3.13.0] - 2021-06-07
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+* If the Django setting `PROCTORED_EXAM_VIEWABLE_PAST_DUE` is false, exam content will not be viewable past
+  an exam's due date, even if a learner has acknowledged their status.
 * Extend exam attempt API to return exam type and to check if
   user has satisfied prerequisites before taking proctored exam.
 * Extend proctoring settings API to return additional data about proctoring
@@ -20,11 +30,6 @@ Unreleased
 * Add API endpoint which provides exam review policy for specific exam.
   Usage case is to provide required data for the learning app MFE.
 
-[3.13.0] - 2021-06-07
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-* If the Django setting `PROCTORED_EXAM_VIEWABLE_PAST_DUE` is false, exam content will not be viewable past
-  an exam's due date, even if a learner has acknowledged their status.
-
 [3.12.0] - 2021-06-04
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 * If the `is_integrity_signature_enabled` waffle flag is turned on, do not render the ID verification
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/__init__.py b/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
index c65f7cfe7e3..61de5ff5157 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 """
 
 # Be sure to update the version number in edx_proctoring/package.json
-__version__ = '3.13.0'
+__version__ = '3.13.1'
 
 default_app_config = 'edx_proctoring.apps.EdxProctoringConfig'  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/api.py b/edx_proctoring/api.py
index 405b97dc500..26045b185be 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/api.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/api.py
@@ -1404,7 +1404,11 @@ def update_attempt_status(attempt_id, to_status,
         # only proctored/practice exams have a backend
         # timed exams have no backend
         backend_method = None
-        if to_status == ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.started:
+
+        # add_start_time will only have a value of true if this is the first time an
+        # attempt is transitioning to started. We only want to notify the backend
+        # for the first time an attempt is transitioned to a started status (MST-862).
+        if to_status == ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.started and add_start_time:
             backend_method = backend.start_exam_attempt
         elif to_status == ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.submitted:
             backend_method = backend.stop_exam_attempt
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/tests/test_api.py b/edx_proctoring/tests/test_api.py
index b4357b382e4..5f7f12c3369 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/tests/test_api.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
     update_exam_attempt,
     update_review_policy
 )
+from edx_proctoring.backends.tests.test_backend import TestBackendProvider
 from edx_proctoring.constants import DEFAULT_CONTACT_EMAIL
 from edx_proctoring.exceptions import (
     AllowanceValueNotAllowedException,
@@ -1635,6 +1636,33 @@ def test_update_attempt_without_credit_state(self):
 
         self.assertEqual(new_attempt, exam_attempt.id)
 
+    @patch.object(TestBackendProvider, 'start_exam_attempt')
+    def test_update_attempt_multiple_starts(self, mock_backend_start):
+        """
+        Test that updating an attempt status to `started` more than once
+        will only call the backend's start_exam_attempt once
+        """
+        exam_attempt = self._create_exam_attempt(self.proctored_exam_id)
+        update_attempt_status(
+            exam_attempt.id,
+            ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.started
+        )
+        mock_backend_start.assert_called_once()
+
+        # move status to ready to submit
+        update_attempt_status(
+            exam_attempt.id,
+            ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.ready_to_submit
+        )
+        # move status to started
+        update_attempt_status(
+            exam_attempt.id,
+            ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.started
+        )
+
+        # make sure that method was not called again
+        mock_backend_start.assert_called_once()
+
     @ddt.data(
         (
             ProctoredExamStudentAttemptStatus.eligible, {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c7976bdf215..5836df14196 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "@edx/edx-proctoring",
   "//": "Be sure to update the version number in edx_proctoring/__init__.py",
   "//": "Note that the version format is slightly different than that of the Python version when using prereleases.",
-  "version": "3.13.0",
+  "version": "3.13.1",
   "main": "edx_proctoring/static/index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "test": "gulp test"