diff --git a/samples/oss-service-instance-invalid.yaml b/samples/oss-service-instance-invalid.yaml
index 5bca7fb..d440985 100644
--- a/samples/oss-service-instance-invalid.yaml
+++ b/samples/oss-service-instance-invalid.yaml
@@ -34,5 +34,4 @@
         name: Invalid ONU example
         of_dpid: "of:1234"
         serial_number: 845f10885b5c479daab9e825c1f4ced8
-        uni_port_id: 16
 
diff --git a/samples/oss-service-instance-valid.yaml b/samples/oss-service-instance-valid.yaml
index c840d10..6638fbe 100644
--- a/samples/oss-service-instance-valid.yaml
+++ b/samples/oss-service-instance-valid.yaml
@@ -34,5 +34,4 @@
         name: valid ONU example
         of_dpid: "of:1234"
         serial_number: BRCM1234
-        uni_port_id: 16
 
diff --git a/xos/synchronizer/model_policies/model_policy_hippieossserviceinstance.py b/xos/synchronizer/model_policies/model_policy_hippieossserviceinstance.py
index 3008a57..5a380dd 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizer/model_policies/model_policy_hippieossserviceinstance.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizer/model_policies/model_policy_hippieossserviceinstance.py
@@ -35,35 +35,48 @@
         if si.valid == "valid":
 
             # reactivating the ONUDevice
-            onu = ONUDevice.objects.get(serial_number=si.serial_number)
+            try:
+                onu = ONUDevice.objects.get(serial_number=si.serial_number)
+            except IndexError:
+                raise Exception("MODEL_POLICY: cannot find ONUDevice [%s] for HippieOSSServiceInstance %s" % (si.serial_number, si.id))
             if onu.admin_state == "DISABLED":
-                self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: enabling ONUDevice [%s] for HippieOSSServiceInstance %s" % (
-                si.serial_number, si.id))
+                self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: enabling ONUDevice [%s] for HippieOSSServiceInstance %s" % (si.serial_number, si.id))
                 onu.admin_state = "ENABLED"
                 onu.save(always_update_timestamp=True)
 
             # NOTE this assumes that an ONUDevice has only one Subscriber
             try:
+                subscriber_changed = False
                 subscriber = RCORDSubscriber.objects.get(onu_device=si.serial_number)
+                self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: found subscriber for valid ONU", onu=si.serial_number)
 
                 # If the OSS returns a c_tag and the subscriber doesn't already have his one
                 if si.c_tag and not subscriber.c_tag:
                     self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: updating c_tag for RCORDSubscriber %s and HippieOSSServiceInstance %s" % (subscriber.id, si.id))
                     subscriber.c_tag = si.c_tag
-                else:
-                    # if we're not changing anything in the subscriber, we don't need to update it
+                    subscriber_changed = True
+                
+                # if the subscriber was in pre-provisioned state, change it's status, otherwise leave it as is
+                if subscriber.status == "pre-provisioned":
+                    subscriber.status = "awaiting-auth"
+                    self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: setting subscriber status", status=subscriber.status)
+                    subscriber_changed = True
+                
+                if not subscriber_changed:
+                    # do not trigger an update unless it's needed
                     return
-            except IndexError, e:
+            except IndexError:
                 self.logger.debug("MODEL_POLICY: creating RCORDSubscriber for HippieOSSServiceInstance %s" % si.id)
 
                 subscriber = RCORDSubscriber()
                 subscriber.onu_device = si.serial_number
+                subscriber.status == "awaiting-auth"
 
                 # If the OSS returns a c_tag use that one
                 if si.c_tag:
                     subscriber.c_tag = si.c_tag
 
-            subscriber.save()
+            subscriber.save(always_update_timestamp=True)
             return
 
     def handle_delete(self, si):
diff --git a/xos/synchronizer/steps/sync_hippie_oss_service_instance.py b/xos/synchronizer/steps/sync_hippie_oss_service_instance.py
index e45f058..94b73b7 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizer/steps/sync_hippie_oss_service_instance.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizer/steps/sync_hippie_oss_service_instance.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
 
             o.valid = "valid"
 
-        # FIXME why without this model_policies won't run the handle_update?
+        # we need to update the timestamp to run model_policies again, but we don't want to loop over the sync_steps
+        # maybe we need an "after_sync" model policy method?
         o.no_sync = True
         o.save(always_update_timestamp=True)