diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/pr-24780.toml b/changelog/unreleased/pr-24780.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b675f1a19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/pr-24780.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+type = "fixed"
+message = "Removed unnecessary automatic disabling of system event definitions during editing operations."
+
+issues = ["22946"]
+pulls = ["24780"]
+
diff --git a/graylog2-server/src/main/java/org/graylog/events/rest/EventDefinitionsResource.java b/graylog2-server/src/main/java/org/graylog/events/rest/EventDefinitionsResource.java
index a6408e3e4e..50ae8d95f9 100644
--- a/graylog2-server/src/main/java/org/graylog/events/rest/EventDefinitionsResource.java
+++ b/graylog2-server/src/main/java/org/graylog/events/rest/EventDefinitionsResource.java
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ import org.graylog2.audit.AuditEventSender;
 import org.graylog2.audit.jersey.AuditEvent;
 import org.graylog2.audit.jersey.NoAuditEvent;
 import org.graylog2.database.PaginatedList;
+import org.graylog2.database.entities.NonDeletableSystemScope;
 import org.graylog2.database.entities.source.DBEntitySourceService;
 import org.graylog2.database.utils.SourcedMongoEntityUtils;
 import org.graylog2.plugin.rest.PluginRestResource;
@@ -357,8 +358,14 @@ public class EventDefinitionsResource extends RestResource implements PluginRest
         if (result.failed()) {
             return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).entity(result).build();
         }
-
-        dto = dto.toBuilder().state(schedule ? EventDefinition.State.ENABLED : EventDefinition.State.DISABLED).build();
+        if (NonDeletableSystemScope.NAME.equals(dto.scope())) {
+            //never change the state of system definitions, as the state cannot be later on changed in the UI
+            dto = dto.toBuilder().build();
+        } else {
+            dto = dto.toBuilder()
+                    .state(schedule ? EventDefinition.State.ENABLED : EventDefinition.State.DISABLED)
+                    .build();
+        }
         recentActivityService.update(definitionId, GRNTypes.EVENT_DEFINITION, userContext.getUser());
         return Response.ok().entity(eventDefinitionHandler.update(dto, schedule)).build();
     }