diff --git a/sea-orm-macros/src/derives/active_model.rs b/sea-orm-macros/src/derives/active_model.rs
index 17c6c50c..81c91c7a 100644
--- a/sea-orm-macros/src/derives/active_model.rs
+++ b/sea-orm-macros/src/derives/active_model.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub fn expand_derive_active_model(ident: Ident, data: Data) -> syn::Result<Token
         impl From<#ident> for ActiveModel {
             fn from(m: #ident) -> Self {
                 Self {
-                    #(#field: sea_orm::ActiveValue::set(m.#field)),*
+                    #(#field: sea_orm::unchanged_active_value_not_intended_for_public_use(m.#field)),*
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/entity/active_model.rs b/src/entity/active_model.rs
index 50b5461d..8bd53c4d 100644
--- a/src/entity/active_model.rs
+++ b/src/entity/active_model.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ where
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
-pub enum ActiveValueState {
+enum ActiveValueState {
     Set,
+    Unchanged,
     Unset,
 }
 
@@ -22,6 +23,13 @@ impl Default for ActiveValueState {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn unchanged_active_value_not_intended_for_public_use<V>(value: V) -> ActiveValue<V>
+where
+    V: Default,
+{
+    ActiveValue::unchanged(value)
+}
+
 impl<V> ActiveValue<V>
 where
     V: Default,
@@ -37,6 +45,13 @@ where
         matches!(self.state, ActiveValueState::Set)
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn unchanged(value: V) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            value,
+            state: ActiveValueState::Unchanged,
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn unset() -> Self {
         Self {
             value: V::default(),
@@ -58,6 +73,15 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+impl<V> std::convert::AsRef<V> for ActiveValue<V>
+where
+    V: Default,
+{
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &V {
+        &self.value
+    }
+}
+
 impl<V> ActiveValue<V>
 where
     V: Default + Into<Value>,
@@ -69,6 +93,7 @@ where
     pub fn into_wrapped_value(self) -> ActiveValue<Value> {
         match self.state {
             ActiveValueState::Set => ActiveValue::set(self.into_value()),
+            ActiveValueState::Unchanged => ActiveValue::set(self.into_value()),
             ActiveValueState::Unset => ActiveValue::unset(),
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/operation/insert.rs b/src/operation/insert.rs
index 5dfeb19c..2d317c3f 100644
--- a/src/operation/insert.rs
+++ b/src/operation/insert.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ where
         let mut values = Vec::new();
         for col in A::Column::iter() {
             let av = am.take(col);
-            if av.is_set() {
+            if !av.is_unset() {
                 columns.push(col);
                 values.push(av.into_value());
             }