diff --git a/app/models/edition.rb b/app/models/edition.rb
index a3e3d08beb4..fad84b90364 100644
--- a/app/models/edition.rb
+++ b/app/models/edition.rb
@@ -348,9 +348,11 @@ def can_set_previously_published?
   end
 
   def government
-    return @government ||= Government.find(government_id) if government_id.present?
-
-    @government ||= Government.on_date(date_for_government) unless date_for_government.nil?
+    if government_id.present?
+      Government.find(government_id)
+    elsif date_for_government.present?
+      Government.on_date(date_for_government)
+    end
   end
 
   def search_government_name
diff --git a/test/unit/app/models/edition_test.rb b/test/unit/app/models/edition_test.rb
index e19e6e5c1cc..cb8f09e38df 100644
--- a/test/unit/app/models/edition_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/app/models/edition_test.rb
@@ -806,6 +806,18 @@ class EditionTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_equal previous_government, edition.government
   end
 
+  test "instantiated edition fetches its most up to date #government association" do
+    current_government = create(:current_government)
+    previous_government = create(:previous_government)
+    edition = create(:edition, first_published_at: Time.zone.now, government_id: previous_government.id)
+    assert_equal previous_government, edition.government
+    # at this point, edition.government == previous_government
+    # But if the user updates the association to a different government, we don't want the old one to be returned
+    edition.government_id = current_government.id
+    edition.save
+    assert_equal current_government, edition.government
+  end
+
   test "#government returns the current government for a newly published edition" do
     government = create(:current_government)
     edition = create(:edition, first_published_at: Time.zone.now)