diff --git a/lib/basedriver/device-settings.js b/lib/basedriver/device-settings.js
index 9d5e49e27..77fe361e9 100644
--- a/lib/basedriver/device-settings.js
+++ b/lib/basedriver/device-settings.js
@@ -73,23 +73,25 @@ class DeviceSettings {
 
   // calls updateSettings from implementing driver every time a setting is changed.
   async update (newSettings) {
-    if (!_.isObject(newSettings)) {
-      throw new Error('Settings update should be called with valid JSON');
+    if (!_.isPlainObject(newSettings)) {
+      throw new Error(`Settings update should be called with valid JSON. Got ` +
+        `${JSON.stringify(newSettings)} instead`);
     }
-    for (let prop of _.keys(newSettings)) {
-      if (_.isUndefined(this._settings[prop])) {
-        log.warn(`Didn't know about setting '${prop}'. Are you sure you ` +
-                 `spelled it correctly? Proceeding anyway. Valid settings: ${_.keys(this._settings)}`);
-      }
-      if (this._settings[prop] !== newSettings[prop]) {
-        // update setting only when there is updateSettings defined.
-        if (this.onSettingsUpdate) {
-          await this.onSettingsUpdate(prop, newSettings[prop], this._settings[prop]);
-          this._settings[prop] = newSettings[prop];
-        } else {
-          log.errorAndThrow('Unable to update settings; onSettingsUpdate method not found');
+    for (const prop of _.keys(newSettings)) {
+      if (!_.isUndefined(this._settings[prop])) {
+        if (this._settings[prop] === newSettings[prop]) {
+          log.debug(`The value of '${prop}' setting did not change. Skipping the update for it`);
+          continue;
         }
       }
+      // update setting only when there is updateSettings defined.
+      if (_.isFunction(this.onSettingsUpdate)) {
+        await this.onSettingsUpdate(prop, newSettings[prop], this._settings[prop]);
+        this._settings[prop] = newSettings[prop];
+      } else {
+        log.errorAndThrow(`Unable to update settings; ` +
+          `onSettingsUpdate method not found on '${this.constructor.name}'`);
+      }
     }
   }