diff --git a/osxphotos/__main__.py b/osxphotos/__main__.py
index 73714807..fc141185 100644
--- a/osxphotos/__main__.py
+++ b/osxphotos/__main__.py
@@ -1623,7 +1623,7 @@ def export(
         # print summary results
         if update:
             photo_str_new = "photos" if len(results_new) != 1 else "photo"
-            photo_str_updated = "photos" if len(results_new) != 1 else "photo"
+            photo_str_updated = "photos" if len(results_updated) != 1 else "photo"
             photo_str_skipped = "photos" if len(results_skipped) != 1 else "photo"
             photo_str_touched = "photos" if len(results_touched) != 1 else "photo"
             photo_str_exif_updated = (
@@ -2217,6 +2217,8 @@ def export_photo(
                     verbose(f"Exported updated file {updated}")
                 for skipped in export_results.skipped:
                     verbose(f"Skipped up to date file {skipped}")
+                for touched in export_results.touched:
+                    verbose(f"Touched date on file {touched}")
 
             # if export-edited, also export the edited version
             # verify the photo has adjustments and valid path to avoid raising an exception
diff --git a/osxphotos/photoinfo/_photoinfo_export.py b/osxphotos/photoinfo/_photoinfo_export.py
index 33bd3a47..49d1837e 100644
--- a/osxphotos/photoinfo/_photoinfo_export.py
+++ b/osxphotos/photoinfo/_photoinfo_export.py
@@ -850,7 +850,10 @@ def _export_photo(
         logging.debug(f"Exporting file with {op_desc} {src} {dest}")
         exported_files.append(dest_str)
         if touch_file:
-            touched_files.append(dest_str)
+            sig = fileutil.file_sig(src)
+            sig = (sig[0], sig[1], self.date.timestamp())
+            if not fileutil.cmp_file_sig(src, sig):
+                touched_files.append(dest_str)
     else:  # updating
         if not dest_exists:
             # update, destination doesn't exist (new file)
@@ -860,10 +863,9 @@ def _export_photo(
                 touched_files.append(dest_str)
         else:
             # update, destination exists, but we might not need to replace it...
-            if touch_file:
-                sig_cmp = fileutil.cmp(src, dest, mtime1=self.date.timestamp())
-            else:
-                sig_cmp = fileutil.cmp(src, dest)
+            cmp_orig = fileutil.cmp(src, dest)
+            cmp_touch = fileutil.cmp(src, dest, mtime1=self.date.timestamp())
+            sig_cmp = cmp_touch if touch_file else cmp_orig
             if (export_as_hardlink and dest.samefile(src)) or (
                 not export_as_hardlink
                 and not dest.samefile(src)
@@ -877,18 +879,19 @@ def _export_photo(
                     or (not exiftool and sig_cmp)
                 )
             ):
-                # destination exists but its signature is "identical"
-                # call set_stat because code can reach this spot if no export DB but exporting a RAW or live photo
-                # potentially re-writes the data in the database but ensures database is complete
-                export_db.set_stat_orig_for_file(dest_str, fileutil.file_sig(dest_str))
                 update_skipped_files.append(dest_str)
             else:
                 # destination exists but signature is different
-                if touch_file and fileutil.cmp(src, dest) and not sig_cmp:
+                if touch_file and cmp_orig and not cmp_touch:
                     # destination exists, signature matches original but does not match expected touch time
                     # skip exporting but update touch time
                     update_skipped_files.append(dest_str)
                     touched_files.append(dest_str)
+                elif not touch_file and cmp_touch and not cmp_orig:
+                    # destination exists, signature matches expected touch but not original
+                    # user likely exported with touch_file and is now exporting without touch_file
+                    # don't update the file because it's same but leave touch time
+                    update_skipped_files.append(dest_str)
                 else:
                     # destination exists but is different
                     update_updated_files.append(dest_str)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 83ddffba..8143f36c 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ PLACES_PHOTOS_DB = "tests/Test-Places-Catalina-10_15_1.photoslibrary"
 PLACES_PHOTOS_DB_13 = "tests/Test-Places-High-Sierra-10.13.6.photoslibrary"
 PHOTOS_DB_15_4 = "tests/Test-10.15.4.photoslibrary"
 PHOTOS_DB_15_5 = "tests/Test-10.15.5.photoslibrary"
+PHOTOS_DB_15_6 = "tests/Test-10.15.5.photoslibrary"
 PHOTOS_DB_14_6 = "tests/Test-10.14.6.photoslibrary"
 
 UUID_FILE = "tests/uuid_from_file.txt"
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@ CLI_EXPORT_UUID = "D79B8D77-BFFC-460B-9312-034F2877D35B"
 
 CLI_EXPORT_UUID_FILENAME = "Pumkins2.jpg"
 
+CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE_TOUCH_TIMES = [1538165373, 1538163349]
 CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE = ["2018/09/28/Pumpkins3.jpg", "2018/09/28/Pumkins1.jpg"]
 
 CLI_EXPORT_SIDECAR_FILENAMES = ["Pumkins2.jpg", "Pumkins2.json", "Pumkins2.xmp"]
@@ -706,7 +708,7 @@ def test_query_date_1():
     import time
     from osxphotos.__main__ import query
 
-    os.environ['TZ'] = "US/Pacific"
+    os.environ["TZ"] = "US/Pacific"
     time.tzset()
 
     runner = CliRunner()
@@ -726,6 +728,7 @@ def test_query_date_1():
     json_got = json.loads(result.output)
     assert len(json_got) == 4
 
+
 def test_query_date_2():
     """ Test --from-date and --to-date """
     import json
@@ -735,7 +738,7 @@ def test_query_date_2():
     import time
     from osxphotos.__main__ import query
 
-    os.environ['TZ'] = "Asia/Jerusalem"
+    os.environ["TZ"] = "Asia/Jerusalem"
     time.tzset()
 
     runner = CliRunner()
@@ -755,6 +758,7 @@ def test_query_date_2():
     json_got = json.loads(result.output)
     assert len(json_got) == 2
 
+
 def test_query_date_timezone():
     """ Test --from-date, --to-date with ISO 8601 timezone """
     import json
@@ -764,7 +768,7 @@ def test_query_date_timezone():
     import time
     from osxphotos.__main__ import query
 
-    os.environ['TZ'] = "US/Pacific"
+    os.environ["TZ"] = "US/Pacific"
     time.tzset()
 
     runner = CliRunner()
@@ -2587,6 +2591,162 @@ def test_export_directory_template_1_dry_run():
             assert not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(workdir, filepath))
 
 
+def test_export_touch_files():
+    """ test export with --touch-files """
+    import os
+
+    import osxphotos
+    from osxphotos.__main__ import export
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    cwd = os.getcwd()
+    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
+    with runner.isolated_filesystem():
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [
+                os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6),
+                ".",
+                "-V",
+                "--touch-file",
+                "--export-by-date",
+            ],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        assert "Exported: 16 photos, touched date: 14 photos" in result.output
+
+        for fname, mtime in zip(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE, CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE_TOUCH_TIMES):
+            st = os.stat(fname)
+            assert int(st.st_mtime) == mtime
+
+
+def test_export_touch_files_update():
+    """ test complex export scenario with --update and --touch-files """
+    import os
+    import pathlib
+    import time
+
+    import osxphotos
+    from osxphotos.__main__ import export
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    cwd = os.getcwd()
+    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
+    with runner.isolated_filesystem():
+        # basic export with dry-run
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6), ".", "--export-by-date", "--dry-run"],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        assert "Exported: 16 photos" in result.output
+
+        assert not pathlib.Path(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE[0]).is_file()
+
+        # without dry-run
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export, [os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6), ".", "--export-by-date"]
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        assert "Exported: 16 photos" in result.output
+
+        assert pathlib.Path(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE[0]).is_file()
+
+        # --update
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6), ".", "--export-by-date", "--update"],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        assert (
+            "Exported: 0 photos, updated: 0 photos, skipped: 16 photos, updated EXIF data: 0 photos"
+            in result.output
+        )
+
+        # --update --touch-file --dry-run
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [
+                os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6),
+                ".",
+                "--export-by-date",
+                "--update",
+                "--touch-file",
+                "--dry-run",
+            ],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert (
+            "Exported: 0 photos, updated: 0 photos, skipped: 16 photos, updated EXIF data: 0 photos, touched date: 14 photos"
+            in result.output
+        )
+
+        for fname, mtime in zip(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE, CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE_TOUCH_TIMES):
+            st = os.stat(fname)
+            assert int(st.st_mtime) != mtime
+
+        # --update --touch-file
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [
+                os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6),
+                ".",
+                "--export-by-date",
+                "--update",
+                "--touch-file",
+            ],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert (
+            "Exported: 0 photos, updated: 0 photos, skipped: 16 photos, updated EXIF data: 0 photos, touched date: 14 photos"
+            in result.output
+        )
+
+        for fname, mtime in zip(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE, CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE_TOUCH_TIMES):
+            st = os.stat(fname)
+            assert int(st.st_mtime) == mtime
+
+        # touch one file and run update again
+        ts = time.time()
+        os.utime(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE[0], (ts, ts))
+
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [
+                os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6),
+                ".",
+                "--export-by-date",
+                "--update",
+                "--touch-file",
+            ],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert (
+            "Exported: 0 photos, updated: 1 photo, skipped: 15 photos, updated EXIF data: 0 photos, touched date: 1 photo"
+            in result.output
+        )
+
+        for fname, mtime in zip(CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE, CLI_EXPORT_BY_DATE_TOUCH_TIMES):
+            st = os.stat(fname)
+            assert int(st.st_mtime) == mtime
+
+        # run update without --touch-file
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6), ".", "--export-by-date", "--update"],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        assert (
+            "Exported: 0 photos, updated: 0 photos, skipped: 16 photos, updated EXIF data: 0 photos"
+            in result.output
+        )
+
+
 def test_labels():
     """Test osxphotos labels """
     import json