diff --git a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer.go b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer.go
index d82bce761751..672f10122ffe 100644
--- a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer.go
+++ b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (b *priorityBalancer) UpdateClientConnState(s balancer.ClientConnState) err
 	}
 	// Sync the states of all children to the new updated priorities. This
 	// include starting/stopping child balancers when necessary.
-	b.syncPriority()
+	b.syncPriority(true)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_child.go b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_child.go
index 95bb34f26252..c00a56b8f9ee 100644
--- a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_child.go
+++ b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_child.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func (cb *childBalancer) startInitTimer() {
 		// Re-sync the priority. This will switch to the next priority if
 		// there's any. Note that it's important sync() is called after setting
 		// initTimer to nil.
-		cb.parent.syncPriority()
+		cb.parent.syncPriority(false)
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_priority.go b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_priority.go
index 829e51f1141c..2487c2626041 100644
--- a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_priority.go
+++ b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_priority.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ var (
 //     - forward the new addresses and config
 //
 // Caller must hold b.mu.
-func (b *priorityBalancer) syncPriority() {
+func (b *priorityBalancer) syncPriority(forceUpdate bool) {
 	// Everything was removed by the update.
 	if len(b.priorities) == 0 {
 		b.childInUse = ""
@@ -99,8 +99,16 @@ func (b *priorityBalancer) syncPriority() {
 				b.cc.UpdateState(child.state)
 			}
 			b.logger.Infof("switching to (%q, %v) in syncPriority", child.name, p)
+			oldChildInUse := b.childInUse
 			b.switchToChild(child, p)
-			child.sendUpdate()
+			if b.childInUse != oldChildInUse || forceUpdate {
+				// If child is switched, send the update to the new child.
+				//
+				// Or if forceUpdate is true (when this is triggered by a
+				// ClientConn update), because the ClientConn update might
+				// contain changes for this child.
+				child.sendUpdate()
+			}
 			break
 		}
 	}
@@ -220,7 +228,7 @@ func (b *priorityBalancer) handleChildStateUpdate(childName string, s balancer.S
 	}
 
 	oldPriorityInUse := b.priorityInUse
-	child.parent.syncPriority()
+	child.parent.syncPriority(false)
 	// If child is switched by syncPriority(), it also sends the update from the
 	// new child to overwrite the old picker used by the parent.
 	//
diff --git a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_test.go b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_test.go
index 1683cafc5379..98bbb5b8f525 100644
--- a/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_test.go
+++ b/xds/internal/balancer/priority/balancer_test.go
@@ -1854,22 +1854,6 @@ func (s) TestPriority_HighPriorityInitIdle(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("pick returned %v, %v, want _, %v", pr, err, errsTestInitIdle[0])
 	}
 
-	// The ClientConn state update triggers a priority switch, from p0 -> p0
-	// (since p0 is still in use). Along with this the update, p0 also gets a
-	// ClientConn state update, with the addresses, which didn't change in this
-	// test (this update to the child is necessary in case the addresses are
-	// different).
-	//
-	// The test child policy, initIdleBalancer, blindly calls NewSubConn with
-	// all the addresses it receives, so this will trigger a NewSubConn with the
-	// old p0 addresses. (Note that in a real balancer, like roundrobin, no new
-	// SubConn will be created because the addresses didn't change).
-	//
-	// Clear those from the channel so the rest of the test can get the expected
-	// behavior.
-	<-cc.NewSubConnAddrsCh
-	<-cc.NewSubConnCh
-
 	// Turn p0 down, to start p1.
 	pb.UpdateSubConnState(sc0, balancer.SubConnState{ConnectivityState: connectivity.TransientFailure})
 	// Before 1 gets READY, picker should return NoSubConnAvailable, so RPCs