diff --git a/addons/product/models/product_attribute.py b/addons/product/models/product_attribute.py
index b4f01744140..fc346679516 100644
--- a/addons/product/models/product_attribute.py
+++ b/addons/product/models/product_attribute.py
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class ProductTemplateAttributeLine(models.Model):
                 # We catch all kind of exceptions to be sure that the operation
                 # doesn't fail.
                 ptal_to_archive += ptal
-        ptal_to_archive.write({'active': False})
+        ptal_to_archive.action_archive()  # only calls write if there are records
         # For archived lines `_update_product_template_attribute_values` is
         # implicitly called during the `write` above, but for products that used
         # unlinked lines `_create_variant_ids` has to be called manually.
diff --git a/addons/product/models/product_template.py b/addons/product/models/product_template.py
index 946800ced90..8b51d5b8025 100644
--- a/addons/product/models/product_template.py
+++ b/addons/product/models/product_template.py
@@ -575,6 +575,9 @@ class ProductTemplate(models.Model):
         return prices
 
     def _create_variant_ids(self):
+        if not self:
+            return
+
         self.flush()
         Product = self.env["product.product"]