diff --git a/tests/test_gateway.py b/tests/test_gateway.py
index b3b69938..8a6fa8fa 100644
--- a/tests/test_gateway.py
+++ b/tests/test_gateway.py
@@ -730,6 +730,52 @@ async def test_pollers_skip(
     assert "Device availability checker interval skipped" in caplog.text
 
 
+async def test_global_updater_guards(
+    zha_gateway: Gateway,
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
+    """Test global updater guards."""
+
+    assert (
+        "listener already registered with global updater - nothing to register"
+        not in caplog.text
+    )
+    assert (
+        "listener not registered with global updater - nothing to remove"
+        not in caplog.text
+    )
+
+    def listener():
+        pass
+
+    zha_gateway.global_updater.register_update_listener(listener)
+
+    assert (
+        "listener already registered with global updater - nothing to register"
+        not in caplog.text
+    )
+
+    zha_gateway.global_updater.register_update_listener(listener)
+
+    assert (
+        "listener already registered with global updater - nothing to register"
+        in caplog.text
+    )
+
+    zha_gateway.global_updater.remove_update_listener(listener)
+
+    assert (
+        "listener not registered with global updater - nothing to remove"
+        not in caplog.text
+    )
+
+    zha_gateway.global_updater.remove_update_listener(listener)
+
+    assert (
+        "listener not registered with global updater - nothing to remove" in caplog.text
+    )
+
+
 async def test_gateway_handle_message(
     zha_gateway: Gateway,
     zha_dev_basic: Device,  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
diff --git a/zha/application/helpers.py b/zha/application/helpers.py
index fc446911..300de007 100644
--- a/zha/application/helpers.py
+++ b/zha/application/helpers.py
@@ -397,11 +397,21 @@ def stop(self):
     def register_update_listener(self, listener: Callable):
         """Register an update listener."""
         if listener in self._update_listeners:
+            _LOGGER.debug(
+                "listener already registered with global updater - nothing to register: %s",
+                listener,
+            )
             return
         self._update_listeners.append(listener)
 
     def remove_update_listener(self, listener: Callable):
         """Remove an update listener."""
+        if listener not in self._update_listeners:
+            _LOGGER.debug(
+                "listener not registered with global updater - nothing to remove: %s",
+                listener,
+            )
+            return
         self._update_listeners.remove(listener)
 
     @periodic(_REFRESH_INTERVAL)