diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
index ef4b47e66093e..0d5386a66bd16 100644
--- a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
+++ b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
@@ -1545,7 +1545,7 @@
 	 *                     decorated with an abort() method.
 	 */
 	wp.updates.updateTheme = function( args ) {
-		var $notice;
+		var $notice, $modalNotice;
 
 		args = _.extend( {
 			success: wp.updates.updateThemeSuccess,
@@ -1567,7 +1567,8 @@
 			$notice = $notice.addClass( 'updating-message' ).find( 'p' );
 
 		} else {
-			$notice = $( '#update-theme' ).closest( '.notice' ).removeClass( 'notice-large' );
+			$modalNotice = $( '.theme-info .notice[data-slug="' + args.slug + '"]' );
+			$notice = $modalNotice.removeClass( 'notice-large' );
 
 			$notice.find( 'h3' ).remove();
 
@@ -1602,6 +1603,8 @@
 	wp.updates.updateThemeSuccess = function( response ) {
 		var isModalOpen    = $( 'body.modal-open' ).length,
 			$theme         = $( '[data-slug="' + response.slug + '"]' ),
+			$modalNotice   = $( '.theme-info .notice[data-slug="' + response.slug + '"]' ),
+			isModalUpdate  = $modalNotice.length,
 			updatedMessage = {
 				className: 'updated-message notice-success notice-alt',
 				message:   _x( 'Updated!', 'theme' )
@@ -1618,7 +1621,7 @@
 				$theme.html( newText );
 			}
 
-			$notice = $( '.theme-info .notice' ).add( wp.customize.control( 'installed_theme_' + response.slug ).container.find( '.theme' ).find( '.update-message' ) );
+			$notice = $modalNotice.add( wp.customize.control( 'installed_theme_' + response.slug ).container.find( '.theme' ).find( '.update-message' ) );
 		} else if ( 'themes-network' === pagenow ) {
 			$notice = $theme.find( '.update-message' );
 
@@ -1629,13 +1632,13 @@
 			// Clear the "time to next auto-update" text.
 			$theme.find( '.auto-update-time' ).empty();
 		} else {
-			$notice = $( '.theme-info .notice' ).add( $theme.find( '.update-message' ) );
+			$notice = $modalNotice.add( $theme.find( '.update-message' ) );
 
 			// Focus on Customize button after updating.
-			if ( isModalOpen ) {
+			if ( isModalOpen && isModalUpdate ) {
 				$( '.load-customize:visible' ).trigger( 'focus' );
 				$( '.theme-info .theme-autoupdate' ).find( '.auto-update-time' ).empty();
-			} else {
+			} else if ( ! isModalOpen ) {
 				$theme.find( '.load-customize' ).trigger( 'focus' );
 			}
 		}
@@ -1648,7 +1651,7 @@
 		$document.trigger( 'wp-theme-update-success', response );
 
 		// Show updated message after modal re-rendered.
-		if ( isModalOpen && 'customize' !== pagenow ) {
+		if ( isModalOpen && isModalUpdate && 'customize' !== pagenow && ! $( '.theme-info .updated-message' ).length ) {
 			$( '.theme-info .theme-author' ).after( wp.updates.adminNotice( updatedMessage ) );
 		}
 	};
@@ -1664,7 +1667,9 @@
 	 * @param {string} response.errorMessage The error that occurred.
 	 */
 	wp.updates.updateThemeError = function( response ) {
-		var $theme       = $( '[data-slug="' + response.slug + '"]' ),
+		var isModalOpen  = $( 'body.modal-open' ).length,
+			$theme       = $( '[data-slug="' + response.slug + '"]' ),
+			$modalNotice = $( '.theme-info .notice[data-slug="' + response.slug + '"]' ),
 			errorMessage = sprintf(
 				/* translators: %s: Error string for a failed update. */
 				 __( 'Update failed: %s' ),
@@ -1687,9 +1692,13 @@
 		if ( 'themes-network' === pagenow ) {
 			$notice = $theme.find( '.update-message ' );
 		} else {
-			$notice = $( '.theme-info .notice' ).add( $theme.find( '.notice' ) );
+			$notice = $modalNotice.add( $theme.find( '.notice' ) );
 
-			$( 'body.modal-open' ).length ? $( '.load-customize:visible' ).trigger( 'focus' ) : $theme.find( '.load-customize' ).trigger( 'focus');
+			if ( isModalOpen && $modalNotice.length ) {
+				$( '.load-customize:visible' ).trigger( 'focus' );
+			} else if ( ! isModalOpen ) {
+				$theme.find( '.load-customize' ).trigger( 'focus' );
+			}
 		}
 
 		wp.updates.addAdminNotice( {
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/themes.php b/src/wp-admin/themes.php
index ca9f52b2a164f..2a8c83be12be1 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/themes.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/themes.php
@@ -1153,12 +1153,12 @@ function wp_theme_auto_update_setting_template() {
 
 				<# if ( data.hasUpdate ) { #>
 					<# if ( data.updateResponse.compatibleWP && data.updateResponse.compatiblePHP ) { #>
-						<div class="notice notice-warning notice-alt notice-large">
+						<div class="notice notice-warning notice-alt notice-large" data-slug="{{ data.id }}">
 							<h3 class="notice-title"><?php _e( 'Update Available' ); ?></h3>
 							{{{ data.update }}}
 						</div>
 					<# } else { #>
-						<div class="notice notice-error notice-alt notice-large">
+						<div class="notice notice-error notice-alt notice-large" data-slug="{{ data.id }}">
 							<h3 class="notice-title"><?php _e( 'Update Incompatible' ); ?></h3>
 							<p>
 								<# if ( ! data.updateResponse.compatibleWP && ! data.updateResponse.compatiblePHP ) { #>
diff --git a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
index 9d3948811abfd..aa6b3955d03b0 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
@@ -158,6 +158,62 @@ jQuery( function( $ ) {
 		assert.equal( jQuery.ajax.getCall( 0 ).args[0].data.slug, 'twentyeleven' );
 	} );
 
+	QUnit.test( 'Starting a theme update should not change unrelated theme details modal notices', function( assert ) {
+		var $fixture = $( '#qunit-fixture' );
+
+		$fixture.append(
+			'<div class="theme-info">' +
+				'<div class="notice notice-warning" data-slug="twentytwelve"><p>Different theme update</p></div>' +
+			'</div>' +
+			'<div class="theme" data-slug="twentyeleven">' +
+				'<div class="update-message notice"><p>Update now</p></div>' +
+			'</div>'
+		);
+
+		wp.updates.updateTheme( { slug: 'twentyeleven' } );
+
+		assert.equal( $fixture.find( '.theme-info .notice[data-slug="twentytwelve"] p' ).text(), 'Different theme update' );
+		assert.equal( $fixture.find( '.theme[data-slug="twentyeleven"] .update-message p' ).text(), 'Updating...' );
+	} );
+
+	QUnit.test( 'A successful theme update should not add notices to an unrelated theme details modal', function( assert ) {
+		var $fixture = $( '#qunit-fixture' ),
+			originalAdminNotice = wp.updates.adminNotice,
+			addAdminNotice = sinon.stub( wp.updates, 'addAdminNotice' ),
+			decrementCount = sinon.stub( wp.updates, 'decrementCount' );
+
+		wp.updates.adminNotice = sinon.stub().returns( '<div class="updated-message notice-success notice-alt"><p>Updated!</p></div>' );
+		$( 'body' ).addClass( 'modal-open' );
+
+		$fixture.append(
+			'<div class="theme-info">' +
+				'<p class="theme-author">By the WordPress team</p>' +
+				'<div class="notice notice-warning" data-slug="twentytwelve"><p>Different theme update</p></div>' +
+			'</div>' +
+			'<div class="theme" data-slug="twentyeleven">' +
+				'<div class="update-message notice"><p>Update now</p></div>' +
+				'<a class="load-customize" href="#">Live Preview</a>' +
+			'</div>'
+		);
+
+		try {
+			wp.updates.updateThemeSuccess( {
+				slug: 'twentyeleven',
+				oldVersion: '1.0',
+				newVersion: '1.1'
+			} );
+
+			assert.strictEqual( addAdminNotice.firstCall.args[0].selector.length, 1 );
+			assert.strictEqual( addAdminNotice.firstCall.args[0].selector[0], $fixture.find( '.theme[data-slug="twentyeleven"] .update-message' )[0] );
+			assert.equal( $fixture.find( '.theme-info .updated-message' ).length, 0 );
+		} finally {
+			addAdminNotice.restore();
+			decrementCount.restore();
+			wp.updates.adminNotice = originalAdminNotice;
+			$( 'body' ).removeClass( 'modal-open' );
+		}
+	} );
+
 	QUnit.test( 'Installing a theme should call the API', function( assert ) {
 		wp.updates.installTheme( { slug: 'twentyeleven' } );
 		assert.ok( jQuery.ajax.calledOnce );