diff --git a/src/relative-time-element.ts b/src/relative-time-element.ts
index be35920..7103a8a 100644
--- a/src/relative-time-element.ts
+++ b/src/relative-time-element.ts
@@ -28,17 +28,26 @@ function getUnitFactor(ms: number): number {
 
 const dateObserver = new (class {
   elements: Set<RelativeTimeElement> = new Set()
+  time = 0
 
   observe(element: RelativeTimeElement) {
     if (this.elements.has(element)) return
     this.elements.add(element)
-    this.update()
+    const date = element.date
+    if (date && date.getTime()) {
+      const ms = getUnitFactor(date.getTime())
+      const time = Date.now() + ms
+      if (time < this.time) {
+        clearTimeout(this.timer)
+        this.timer = setTimeout(() => this.update, ms)
+        this.time = time
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   unobserve(element: RelativeTimeElement) {
     if (!this.elements.has(element)) return
     this.elements.delete(element)
-    this.update()
   }
 
   timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> = -1 as unknown as ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>
@@ -52,8 +61,9 @@ const dateObserver = new (class {
       nearestDistance = Math.min(nearestDistance, distance)
       timeEl.update()
     }
-    const ms = Math.min(60 * 60 * 1000, nearestDistance)
-    this.timer = setTimeout(() => this.update(), ms)
+    this.time = Math.min(60 * 60 * 1000, nearestDistance)
+    this.timer = setTimeout(() => this.update(), this.time)
+    this.time += Date.now()
   }
 })()
 
@@ -298,11 +308,10 @@ export default class RelativeTimeElement extends HTMLElement implements Intl.Dat
   }
 
   // Internal: Refresh the time element's formatted date when an attribute changes.
-  attributeChangedCallback(attrName: string): void {
-    if (attrName === 'title') {
-      this.#customTitle = true
-    }
-    this.update()
+  attributeChangedCallback(attrName: string, oldValue: unknown, newValue: unknown): void {
+    if (oldValue === newValue) return
+    if (attrName === 'title') this.#customTitle = true
+    if (!this.#customTitle) this.update()
   }
 
   update() {
diff --git a/test/relative-time.js b/test/relative-time.js
index 3c39f9f..0573b2f 100644
--- a/test/relative-time.js
+++ b/test/relative-time.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {assert} from '@open-wc/testing'
-import '../src/relative-time-element.ts'
+import RelativeTimeElement from '../src/relative-time-element.ts'
 
 suite('relative-time', function () {
   let dateNow
@@ -38,6 +38,26 @@ suite('relative-time', function () {
     }
   })
 
+  test('does not call update() frequently with attributeChangedCallback', () => {
+    let counter = 0
+    const el = document.createElement('relative-time')
+    el.update = function () {
+      counter += 1
+      return RelativeTimeElement.prototype.update.call(this)
+    }
+    assert.equal(counter, 0)
+    el.setAttribute('datetime', new Date().toISOString())
+    assert.equal(counter, 1)
+    el.setAttribute('datetime', el.getAttribute('datetime'))
+    assert.equal(counter, 1)
+    el.disconnectedCallback()
+    assert.equal(counter, 1)
+    el.setAttribute('title', 'custom')
+    assert.equal(counter, 1)
+    el.setAttribute('title', 'another custom')
+    assert.equal(counter, 1)
+  })
+
   test("doesn't error when no date is provided", function () {
     const element = document.createElement('relative-time')
     assert.doesNotThrow(() => element.attributeChangedCallback('datetime', null, null))