diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
index 8fc088fc97..e0d67d1747 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
     $scope.setPage = (page) -> $scope.currentPage = page
     $scope.minPage = -> Math.max(1,Math.min($scope.totalPages()-4,$scope.currentPage-2))
     $scope.maxPage = -> Math.min($scope.totalPages(),Math.max(5,$scope.currentPage+2))
+    $scope.productsWithUnsavedVariants = []
 
     $scope.$watch ->
       $scope.totalPages()
@@ -108,13 +109,14 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
         else
           null
 
-      if product.variants
-        for variant in product.variants
-          $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, variant
-      $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.master if product.master
+      $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product if product.variants
+      $scope.loadVariantUnitValue product, product.master if product.master
 
+    $scope.loadVariantUnitValues = (product) ->
+      for variant in product.variants
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValue product, variant
 
-    $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit = (product, variant) ->
+    $scope.loadVariantUnitValue = (product, variant) ->
       unit_value = $scope.variantUnitValue product, variant
       unit_value = if unit_value? then unit_value else ''
       variant.unit_value_with_description = "#{unit_value} #{variant.unit_description || ''}".trim()
@@ -192,6 +194,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
         display_name: null
         on_hand: null
         price: null
+      $scope.productsWithUnsavedVariants.push product
       $scope.displayProperties[product.id].showVariants = true
 
 
@@ -200,6 +203,11 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
       $scope.variantIdCounter -= 1
       $scope.variantIdCounter
 
+    $scope.updateVariantLists = (server_products) ->
+      for product in $scope.productsWithUnsavedVariants
+        server_product = $scope.findProduct(product.id, server_products)
+        product.variants = server_product.variants
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product
 
     $scope.deleteProduct = (product) ->
       if confirm("Are you sure?")
@@ -281,20 +289,9 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
           products: productsToSubmit
           filters: $scope.currentFilters
       ).success((data) ->
-        # TODO: remove this check altogether, need to write controller tests if we want to test this behaviour properly
-        # Note: Rob implemented subset(), which is a simpler alternative to productsWithoutDerivedAttributes(). However, it
-        #       conflicted with some changes I made before merging my work, so for now I've reverted to the old way of
-        #       doing things. TODO: Review together and decide on strategy here. -- Rohan, 14-1-2014
-        #if subset($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes(), data)
-        if $scope.productListsMatch $scope.products, data
-          $scope.resetProducts data
-          $timeout -> $scope.displaySuccess()
-        else
-          # console.log angular.toJson($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products))
-          # console.log "---"
-          # console.log angular.toJson($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes(data))
-          # console.log "---"
-          $scope.displayFailure "Product lists do not match."
+        DirtyProducts.clear()
+        #$scope.updateVariantLists(data)
+        $timeout -> $scope.displaySuccess()
       ).error (data, status) ->
         $scope.displayFailure "Server returned with error status: " + status
 
@@ -322,56 +319,14 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", [
       if variant.hasOwnProperty("unit_value_with_description")
         match = variant.unit_value_with_description.match(/^([\d\.]+(?= |$)|)( |)(.*)$/)
         if match
-          product = $scope.findProduct(product.id)
+          product = $scope.findProduct(product.id, $scope.products)
           variant.unit_value  = parseFloat(match[1])
           variant.unit_value  = null if isNaN(variant.unit_value)
           variant.unit_value *= product.variant_unit_scale if variant.unit_value && product.variant_unit_scale
           variant.unit_description = match[3]
 
-
-    $scope.productListsMatch = (clientProducts, serverProducts) ->
-      $scope.copyNewVariantIds clientProducts, serverProducts
-      angular.toJson($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes(clientProducts)) == angular.toJson($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes(serverProducts))
-
-
-    # When variants are created clientside, they are given a negative id. The server
-    # responds with a real id, which would cause the productListsMatch() check to fail.
-    # To avoid that false negative, we copy the server variant id to the client for any
-    # negative ids.
-    $scope.copyNewVariantIds = (clientProducts, serverProducts) ->
-      if clientProducts?
-        for product, i in clientProducts
-          if product.variants?
-            for variant, j in product.variants
-              if variant.id < 0
-                variant.id = serverProducts[i].variants[j].id
-
-
-    $scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes = (products) ->
-      products_filtered = []
-      if products
-        products_filtered = $scope.deepCopyProducts products
-        for product in products_filtered
-          delete product.variant_unit_with_scale
-          if product.variants
-            for variant in product.variants
-              delete variant.unit_value_with_description
-              # If we end up live-updating this field, we might want to reinstate its verification here
-              delete variant.options_text
-          delete product.master
-      products_filtered
-
-
-    $scope.deepCopyProducts = (products) ->
-      copied_products = (angular.extend {}, product for product in products)
-      for product in copied_products
-        if product.variants
-          product.variants = (angular.extend {}, variant for variant in product.variants)
-      copied_products
-
-
-    $scope.findProduct = (id) ->
-      products = (product for product in $scope.products when product.id == id)
+    $scope.findProduct = (id, product_list) ->
+      products = (product for product in product_list when product.id == id)
       if products.length == 0 then null else products[0]
 
 
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/unit/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee b/spec/javascripts/unit/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
index 44466b5d10..88da46d0e2 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/unit/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
+++ b/spec/javascripts/unit/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
@@ -397,8 +397,9 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
         $scope.loadVariantUnit product
         expect(product.variant_unit_with_scale).toEqual "items"
 
-    it "loads data for variants (inc. master)", ->
-      spyOn $scope, "loadVariantVariantUnit"
+    it "loads data for variants (incl. master)", ->
+      spyOn $scope, "loadVariantUnitValues"
+      spyOn $scope, "loadVariantUnitValue"
 
       product =
         variant_unit_scale: 1.0
@@ -406,15 +407,27 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
         variants: [{id: 2, unit_value: 2, unit_description: '(two)'}]
       $scope.loadVariantUnit product
 
-      expect($scope.loadVariantVariantUnit).toHaveBeenCalledWith product, product.variants[0]
-      expect($scope.loadVariantVariantUnit).toHaveBeenCalledWith product, product.master
+      expect($scope.loadVariantUnitValues).toHaveBeenCalledWith product
+      expect($scope.loadVariantUnitValue).toHaveBeenCalledWith product, product.master
+
+    it "loads data for variants (excl. master)", ->
+      spyOn $scope, "loadVariantUnitValue"
+
+      product =
+        variant_unit_scale: 1.0
+        master: {id: 1, unit_value: 1, unit_description: '(one)'}
+        variants: [{id: 2, unit_value: 2, unit_description: '(two)'}]
+      $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product
+
+      expect($scope.loadVariantUnitValue).toHaveBeenCalledWith product, product.variants[0]
+      expect($scope.loadVariantUnitValue).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith product, product.master
 
     describe "setting variant unit_value_with_description", ->
       it "sets by combining unit_value and unit_description", ->
         product =
           variant_unit_scale: 1.0
           variants: [{id: 1, unit_value: 1, unit_description: '(bottle)'}]
-        $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.variants[0]
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product, product.variants[0]
         expect(product.variants[0]).toEqual
           id: 1
           unit_value: 1
@@ -425,28 +438,28 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
         product =
           variant_unit_scale: 1.0
           variants: [{id: 1, unit_value: 1}]
-        $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.variants[0]
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product, product.variants[0]
         expect(product.variants[0].unit_value_with_description).toEqual '1'
 
       it "uses unit_description when value is missing", ->
         product =
           variant_unit_scale: 1.0
           variants: [{id: 1, unit_description: 'Small'}]
-        $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.variants[0]
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product, product.variants[0]
         expect(product.variants[0].unit_value_with_description).toEqual 'Small'
 
       it "converts values from base value to chosen unit", ->
         product =
           variant_unit_scale: 1000.0
           variants: [{id: 1, unit_value: 2500}]
-        $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.variants[0]
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product, product.variants[0]
         expect(product.variants[0].unit_value_with_description).toEqual '2.5'
 
       it "displays a unit_value of zero", ->
         product =
           variant_unit_scale: 1.0
           variants: [{id: 1, unit_value: 0}]
-        $scope.loadVariantVariantUnit product, product.variants[0]
+        $scope.loadVariantUnitValues product, product.variants[0]
         expect(product.variants[0].unit_value_with_description).toEqual '0'
 
 
@@ -827,6 +840,8 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
 
       it "runs displaySuccess() when post returns success", ->
         spyOn $scope, "displaySuccess"
+        spyOn $scope, "updateVariantLists"
+        spyOn DirtyProducts, "clear"
         $scope.products = [
           {
             id: 1
@@ -851,14 +866,8 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
         $httpBackend.flush()
         $timeout.flush()
         expect($scope.displaySuccess).toHaveBeenCalled()
-
-      it "runs displayFailure() when post return data does not match $scope.products", ->
-        spyOn $scope, "displayFailure"
-        $scope.products = "current list of products"
-        $httpBackend.expectPOST("/admin/products/bulk_update").respond 200, "returned list of products"
-        $scope.updateProducts "updated list of products"
-        $httpBackend.flush()
-        expect($scope.displayFailure).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect(DirtyProducts.clear).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect($scope.updateVariantLists).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
       it "runs displayFailure() when post returns error", ->
         spyOn $scope, "displayFailure"
@@ -868,87 +877,15 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
         $httpBackend.flush()
         expect($scope.displayFailure).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
-
-  describe "copying new variant ids from server to client", ->
-    it "copies server ids to the client where the client id is negative", ->
-      clientProducts = [
-        {
-          id: 123
-          variants: [{id: 1}, {id: -2}, {id: -3}]
-        }
-      ]
-      serverProducts = [
-        {
-          id: 123
-          variants: [{id: 1}, {id: 4534}, {id: 3453}]
-        }
-      ]
-      $scope.copyNewVariantIds(clientProducts, serverProducts)
-      expect(clientProducts).toEqual(serverProducts)
-
-
-  describe "fetching products without derived attributes", ->
-    it "returns products without the variant_unit_with_scale field", ->
-      $scope.products = [{id: 123, variant_unit_with_scale: 'weight_1000'}]
-      expect($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products)).toEqual([{id: 123}])
-
-    it "returns an empty array when products are undefined", ->
-      expect($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products)).toEqual([])
-
-    it "does not alter original products", ->
-      $scope.products = [{
-        id: 123
-        variant_unit_with_scale: 'weight_1000'
-        variants: [{options_text: 'foo'}]
-      }]
-      $scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products)
-      expect($scope.products).toEqual [{
-        id: 123
-        variant_unit_with_scale: 'weight_1000'
-        variants: [{options_text: 'foo'}]
-      }]
-
-    describe "updating variants", ->
-      it "returns variants without the unit_value_with_description field", ->
-        $scope.products = [{id: 123, variants: [{id: 234, unit_value_with_description: 'foo'}]}]
-        expect($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products)).toEqual [
-          {
-            id: 123
-            variants: [{id: 234}]
-          }
-        ]
-
-      it "removes the master variant", ->
-        $scope.products = [{id: 123, master: {id: 234, unit_value_with_description: 'foo'}}]
-        expect($scope.productsWithoutDerivedAttributes($scope.products)).toEqual [
-          {
-            id: 123
-          }
-        ]
-
-
-  describe "deep copying products", ->
-    it "copies products", ->
-      product = {id: 123}
-      copiedProducts = $scope.deepCopyProducts [product]
-      expect(copiedProducts[0]).not.toBe(product)
-
-    it "copies variants", ->
-      variant = {id: 1}
-      product = {id: 123, variants: [variant]}
-      copiedProducts = $scope.deepCopyProducts [product]
-      expect(copiedProducts[0].variants[0]).not.toBe(variant)
-
-
   describe "fetching a product by id", ->
     it "returns the product when it is present", ->
       product = {id: 123}
       $scope.products = [product]
-      expect($scope.findProduct(123)).toEqual product
+      expect($scope.findProduct(123, $scope.products)).toEqual product
 
     it "returns null when the product is not present", ->
       $scope.products = []
-      expect($scope.findProduct(123)).toBeNull()
+      expect($scope.findProduct(123, $scope.products)).toBeNull()
 
 
   describe "adding variants", ->