diff --git a/core/metadata/db.go b/core/metadata/db.go
index 8fb8409f2..303af643d 100644
--- a/core/metadata/db.go
+++ b/core/metadata/db.go
@@ -270,6 +270,20 @@ func (m *DB) Update(fn func(*bolt.Tx) error) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// Publisher returns an event publisher if one is configured
+// and the current context is not inside a transaction.
+func (m *DB) Publisher(ctx context.Context) events.Publisher {
+	_, ok := ctx.Value(transactionKey{}).(*bolt.Tx)
+	if ok {
+		// Do no publish events within a transaction
+		return nil
+	}
+	if m.dbopts.publisher != nil {
+		return m.dbopts.publisher
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // RegisterMutationCallback registers a function to be called after a metadata
 // mutations has been performed.
 //
diff --git a/core/metadata/images.go b/core/metadata/images.go
index 49c9fb7bd..e01ad31d2 100644
--- a/core/metadata/images.go
+++ b/core/metadata/images.go
@@ -165,8 +165,8 @@ func (s *imageStore) Create(ctx context.Context, image images.Image) (images.Ima
 		return images.Image{}, err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		if err := s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/create", &eventstypes.ImageCreate{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		if err := publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/create", &eventstypes.ImageCreate{
 			Name:   image.Name,
 			Labels: image.Labels,
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ func (s *imageStore) Update(ctx context.Context, image images.Image, fieldpaths
 		return images.Image{}, err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		if err := s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/update", &eventstypes.ImageUpdate{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		if err := publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/update", &eventstypes.ImageUpdate{
 			Name:   updated.Name,
 			Labels: updated.Labels,
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -333,8 +333,8 @@ func (s *imageStore) Delete(ctx context.Context, name string, opts ...images.Del
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		if err := s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/delete", &eventstypes.ImageDelete{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		if err := publisher.Publish(ctx, "/images/delete", &eventstypes.ImageDelete{
 			Name: name,
 		}); err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/core/metadata/snapshot.go b/core/metadata/snapshot.go
index af4234baa..d77c95fca 100644
--- a/core/metadata/snapshot.go
+++ b/core/metadata/snapshot.go
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ func (s *snapshotter) Prepare(ctx context.Context, key, parent string, opts ...s
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		if err := s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/prepare", &eventstypes.SnapshotPrepare{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		if err := publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/prepare", &eventstypes.SnapshotPrepare{
 			Key:         key,
 			Parent:      parent,
 			Snapshotter: s.name,
@@ -634,8 +634,8 @@ func (s *snapshotter) Commit(ctx context.Context, name, key string, opts ...snap
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		if err := s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/commit", &eventstypes.SnapshotCommit{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		if err := publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/commit", &eventstypes.SnapshotCommit{
 			Key:         key,
 			Name:        name,
 			Snapshotter: s.name,
@@ -704,8 +704,8 @@ func (s *snapshotter) Remove(ctx context.Context, key string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if s.db.dbopts.publisher != nil {
-		return s.db.dbopts.publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/remove", &eventstypes.SnapshotRemove{
+	if publisher := s.db.Publisher(ctx); publisher != nil {
+		return publisher.Publish(ctx, "/snapshot/remove", &eventstypes.SnapshotRemove{
 			Key:         key,
 			Snapshotter: s.name,
 		})