diff --git a/homeassistant/components/config/entity_registry.py b/homeassistant/components/config/entity_registry.py
index 71833a2e42de42..fdac1ad95dadee 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/config/entity_registry.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/config/entity_registry.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ async def websocket_update_entity(hass, connection, msg):
     if 'name' in msg:
         changes['name'] = msg['name']
 
-    if 'new_entity_id' in msg:
+    if 'new_entity_id' in msg and msg['new_entity_id'] != msg['entity_id']:
         changes['new_entity_id'] = msg['new_entity_id']
         if hass.states.get(msg['new_entity_id']) is not None:
             connection.send_message(websocket_api.error_message(