diff --git a/dandiapi/api/management/commands/revalidate.py b/dandiapi/api/management/commands/revalidate.py
index 14a4b03d7..13b139f42 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/management/commands/revalidate.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/management/commands/revalidate.py
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ def revalidate(assets: bool, versions: bool, revalidate_all: bool, dry_run: bool
         click.echo(f'Revalidating {asset_qs.count()} assets')
         if not dry_run:
             for asset in asset_qs.iterator():
-                validate_asset_metadata(asset=asset)
+                if not validate_asset_metadata(asset=asset):
+                    click.echo(f'Unable to validate asset {asset.id}', err=True, fg='yellow')
 
     if versions:
         # Only revalidate draft versions
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/services/asset/__init__.py b/dandiapi/api/services/asset/__init__.py
index 7570993cb..219579e00 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/services/asset/__init__.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/services/asset/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
     DraftDandisetNotModifiable,
     ZarrArchiveBelongsToDifferentDandiset,
 )
-from dandiapi.api.services.asset.metadata import _maybe_validate_asset_metadata
 from dandiapi.zarr.models import ZarrArchive
 
 
@@ -148,13 +147,6 @@ def add_asset_to_version(
         # Save the version so that the modified field is updated
         version.save()
 
-    # The sha256 may have been newly calculated in the time since the asset was created. If so, we
-    # need to fetch the latest record from the DB so that _maybe_validate_asset_metadata sees the
-    # new sha256 value and includes it in the asset metadata properly.
-    asset.refresh_from_db()
-
-    _maybe_validate_asset_metadata(asset)
-
     return asset
 
 
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/services/asset/metadata.py b/dandiapi/api/services/asset/metadata.py
index 41fa55592..315b30cb8 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/services/asset/metadata.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/services/asset/metadata.py
@@ -2,30 +2,6 @@
 from django.db.models.query import QuerySet
 
 from dandiapi.api.models.asset import Asset
-from dandiapi.api.services.metadata import validate_asset_metadata
-
-
-def _maybe_validate_asset_metadata(asset: Asset):
-    """
-    Validate asset metadata if a checksum for its blob has already been computed.
-
-    If the checksum isn't there yet, it's the responsibility of the checksum code
-    to trigger validation for all assets pointing to its blob.
-    """
-    # Checksums are necessary for the asset metadata to be validated. For asset blobs, the sha256
-    # checksum is required. For zarrs, the zarr checksum is required. In both of these cases, if
-    # the checksum is not present, asset metadata is not yet validated, and that validation should
-    # be kicked off at the end of their respective checksum calculation tasks.
-    if asset.is_zarr:
-        if asset.zarr.checksum is None:
-            return
-    else:
-        blob = asset.blob or asset.embargoed_blob
-        if blob.sha256 is None:
-            return
-
-    # We do not bother to delay this because it should run very quickly.
-    validate_asset_metadata(asset=asset)
 
 
 def bulk_recalculate_asset_metadata(*, assets: QuerySet[Asset]):
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/services/metadata/__init__.py b/dandiapi/api/services/metadata/__init__.py
index ed5efa3a0..96708e6cc 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/services/metadata/__init__.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/services/metadata/__init__.py
@@ -33,17 +33,17 @@ def _collect_validation_errors(
     return [encoder(error) for error in error.errors]
 
 
-def validate_asset_metadata(*, asset: Asset) -> None:
+def validate_asset_metadata(*, asset: Asset) -> bool:
     logger.info('Validating asset metadata for asset %s', asset.id)
 
     # Published assets are immutable
     if asset.published:
         raise AssetHasBeenPublished()
 
-    with transaction.atomic():
-        asset.status = Asset.Status.VALIDATING
-        asset.save()
+    # track the state of the asset before to use optimistic locking
+    asset_state = asset.status
 
+    with transaction.atomic():
         try:
             metadata = asset.published_metadata()
             validate(metadata, schema_key='PublishedAsset', json_validation=True)
@@ -62,14 +62,24 @@ def validate_asset_metadata(*, asset: Asset) -> None:
             asset.status = Asset.Status.INVALID
             asset.validation_errors = [{'field': '', 'message': str(e)}]
 
-        # Save asset
-        asset.save()
+        updated_asset = Asset.objects.filter(
+            id=asset.id, status=asset_state, metadata=asset.metadata, published=False
+        ).update(
+            status=asset.status,
+            validation_errors=asset.validation_errors,
+            # include metadata in update since we're bypassing .save()
+            metadata=asset._populate_metadata(),
+        )
+        if updated_asset:
+            # Update modified timestamps on all draft versions this asset belongs to
+            asset.versions.filter(version='draft').update(modified=timezone.now())
+        else:
+            logger.info('Asset %s was modified while validating', asset.id)
 
-        # Update modified timestamps on all draft versions this asset belongs to
-        asset.versions.filter(version='draft').update(modified=timezone.now())
+        return updated_asset
 
 
-def version_aggregate_assets_summary(version: Version):
+def version_aggregate_assets_summary(version: Version) -> None:
     if version.version != 'draft':
         raise VersionHasBeenPublished()
 
@@ -82,8 +92,6 @@ def version_aggregate_assets_summary(version: Version):
     Version.objects.filter(id=version.id, version='draft').update(
         modified=timezone.now(), metadata=version.metadata
     )
-    version.refresh_from_db()
-    return version
 
 
 def validate_version_metadata(*, version: Version) -> None:
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/services/publish/__init__.py b/dandiapi/api/services/publish/__init__.py
index 33b766da2..8ffeaba32 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/services/publish/__init__.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/services/publish/__init__.py
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ def publish_asset(*, asset: Asset) -> None:
         locked_asset.published = True
         locked_asset.save()
 
-    # Original asset is now stale, so we need to refresh from DB
-    asset.refresh_from_db()
-
 
 def _lock_dandiset_for_publishing(*, user: User, dandiset: Dandiset) -> None:
     """
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tasks/__init__.py b/dandiapi/api/tasks/__init__.py
index ab8e84238..6c2449024 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tasks/__init__.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tasks/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from celery import shared_task
 from celery.utils.log import get_task_logger
-from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.transaction import atomic
 
 from dandiapi.api.doi import delete_doi
@@ -17,8 +16,7 @@
 
 
 @shared_task(queue='calculate_sha256', soft_time_limit=86_400)
-@atomic
-def calculate_sha256(blob_id: int) -> None:
+def calculate_sha256(blob_id: str) -> None:
     try:
         asset_blob = AssetBlob.objects.get(blob_id=blob_id)
         logger.info(f'Found AssetBlob {blob_id}')
@@ -33,19 +31,6 @@ def calculate_sha256(blob_id: int) -> None:
     asset_blob.sha256 = sha256
     asset_blob.save()
 
-    # The newly calculated sha256 digest will be included in the metadata, so we need to revalidate
-    # Note, we use `.iterator` here and delay each validation as a new task in order to keep memory
-    # usage down.
-    def dispatch_validation():
-        for asset_id in asset_blob.assets.values_list('id', flat=True).iterator():
-            # Note: while asset metadata is fairly lightweight compute-wise, memory-wise it can
-            # become an issue during serialization/deserialization of the JSON blob by pydantic.
-            # Therefore, we delay each validation to its own task.
-            validate_asset_metadata_task.delay(asset_id)
-
-    # Run on transaction commit
-    transaction.on_commit(dispatch_validation)
-
 
 @shared_task(soft_time_limit=60)
 @atomic
@@ -65,8 +50,9 @@ def write_manifest_files(version_id: int) -> None:
 def validate_asset_metadata_task(asset_id: int) -> None:
     from dandiapi.api.services.metadata import validate_asset_metadata
 
-    asset: Asset = Asset.objects.get(id=asset_id)
-    validate_asset_metadata(asset=asset)
+    asset: Asset = Asset.objects.filter(id=asset_id, status=Asset.Status.PENDING).first()
+    if asset:
+        validate_asset_metadata(asset=asset)
 
 
 @shared_task(soft_time_limit=30)
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tasks/scheduled.py b/dandiapi/api/tasks/scheduled.py
index 5608b7d4e..445a6e2e9 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tasks/scheduled.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tasks/scheduled.py
@@ -12,12 +12,19 @@
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.db import connection
+from django.db.models.query_utils import Q
 
 from dandiapi.analytics.tasks import collect_s3_log_records_task
 from dandiapi.api.mail import send_pending_users_message
 from dandiapi.api.models import UserMetadata, Version
+from dandiapi.api.models.asset import Asset
 from dandiapi.api.services.metadata import version_aggregate_assets_summary
-from dandiapi.api.tasks import validate_version_metadata_task, write_manifest_files
+from dandiapi.api.tasks import (
+    validate_asset_metadata_task,
+    validate_version_metadata_task,
+    write_manifest_files,
+)
+from dandiapi.zarr.models import ZarrArchiveStatus
 
 logger = get_task_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -28,6 +35,29 @@ def aggregate_assets_summary_task(version_id: int):
     version_aggregate_assets_summary(version)
 
 
+@shared_task(soft_time_limit=30)
+def validate_pending_asset_metadata():
+    validatable_assets = (
+        Asset.objects.filter(status=Asset.Status.PENDING)
+        .filter(
+            (Q(blob__isnull=False) & Q(blob__sha256__isnull=False))
+            | (Q(embargoed_blob__isnull=False) & Q(embargoed_blob__sha256__isnull=False))
+            | (
+                Q(zarr__isnull=False)
+                & Q(zarr__checksum__isnull=False)
+                & Q(zarr__status=ZarrArchiveStatus.COMPLETE)
+            )
+        )
+        .values_list('id', flat=True)
+    )
+    validatable_assets_count = validatable_assets.count()
+    if validatable_assets_count > 0:
+        logger.info('Found %s assets to validate', validatable_assets_count)
+        for asset_id in validatable_assets.iterator():
+            # TODO: throttle?
+            validate_asset_metadata_task.delay(asset_id)
+
+
 @shared_task(soft_time_limit=20)
 def validate_draft_version_metadata():
     # Select only the id of draft versions that have status PENDING
@@ -75,6 +105,11 @@ def register_scheduled_tasks(sender: Celery, **kwargs):
         timedelta(seconds=settings.DANDI_VALIDATION_JOB_INTERVAL),
         validate_draft_version_metadata.s(),
     )
+    # Check for any assets that need validation every minute
+    sender.add_periodic_task(
+        timedelta(seconds=settings.DANDI_VALIDATION_JOB_INTERVAL),
+        validate_pending_asset_metadata.s(),
+    )
 
     # Send daily email to admins containing a list of users awaiting approval
     sender.add_periodic_task(crontab(hour=0, minute=0), send_pending_users_email.s())
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tests/factories.py b/dandiapi/api/tests/factories.py
index d98bbeda2..6b4210687 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tests/factories.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tests/factories.py
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ def _create(cls, *args, **kwargs):
         asset.status = Asset.Status.VALID  # published assets are always valid
         asset.save()
         publish_asset(asset=asset)
+        asset.refresh_from_db()
         return asset
 
 
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_asset.py b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_asset.py
index 33b3d75eb..dc9154d12 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_asset.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_asset.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from dandiapi.api.services.asset import add_asset_to_version
 from dandiapi.api.services.asset.exceptions import AssetPathConflict
 from dandiapi.api.services.publish import publish_asset
+from dandiapi.api.tasks.scheduled import validate_pending_asset_metadata
 from dandiapi.zarr.models import ZarrArchive
 from dandiapi.zarr.tasks import ingest_zarr_archive
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ def test_publish_asset(draft_asset: Asset):
 
     # draft_asset has been published, so it is now published_asset
     published_asset = draft_asset
+    published_asset.refresh_from_db()
 
     assert published_asset.blob == draft_blob
     assert published_asset.metadata == {
@@ -707,7 +709,8 @@ def test_asset_create_zarr_validated(
     zarr_file_factory(zarr_archive=zarr_archive)
     api_client.post(f'/api/zarr/{zarr_archive.zarr_id}/finalize/')
 
-    # Since tasks run synchronously in tests, the assets should be validated now
+    validate_pending_asset_metadata()
+
     asset1.refresh_from_db()
     asset2.refresh_from_db()
     assert asset1.status == Asset.Status.VALID
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_tasks.py b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_tasks.py
index a25937945..f8c8e7c51 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -50,28 +50,6 @@ def test_calculate_checksum_task_embargo(storage: Storage, embargoed_asset_blob_
     assert asset_blob.sha256 == sha256
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
-def test_checksum_task_invokes_asset_validation(
-    storage: Storage, asset_blob_factory, draft_asset_factory, django_capture_on_commit_callbacks
-):
-    # Pretend like AssetBlob was defined with the given storage
-    AssetBlob.blob.field.storage = storage
-    asset_blob = asset_blob_factory(sha256=None)
-    assets: list[Asset] = [draft_asset_factory(blob=asset_blob) for _ in range(3)]
-
-    # Assert status before checksum
-    assert all([asset.status == Asset.Status.PENDING for asset in assets])
-
-    # Dispatch task, capture any transaction callbacks
-    with django_capture_on_commit_callbacks(execute=True):
-        tasks.calculate_sha256(asset_blob.blob_id)
-
-    # Assert metadata validation ran
-    for asset in assets:
-        asset.refresh_from_db()
-        assert asset.status != Asset.Status.PENDING
-
-
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_write_manifest_files(storage: Storage, version: Version, asset_factory):
     # Pretend like AssetBlob was defined with the given storage
@@ -159,6 +137,9 @@ def test_validate_asset_metadata_no_digest(draft_asset: Asset):
     draft_asset.blob.sha256 = None
     draft_asset.blob.save()
 
+    del draft_asset.metadata['digest']
+    draft_asset.save()
+
     tasks.validate_asset_metadata_task(draft_asset.id)
 
     draft_asset.refresh_from_db()
diff --git a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_version.py b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_version.py
index edd672c35..c7e8a5fb5 100644
--- a/dandiapi/api/tests/test_version.py
+++ b/dandiapi/api/tests/test_version.py
@@ -651,6 +651,7 @@ def test_version_rest_publish_zarr(
     zarr_archive = zarr_archive_factory(dandiset=draft_version.dandiset)
     zarr_file_factory(zarr_archive=zarr_archive)
     ingest_zarr_archive(zarr_archive.zarr_id)
+    zarr_archive.refresh_from_db()
 
     zarr_asset: Asset = draft_asset_factory(zarr=zarr_archive, blob=None)
     normal_asset: Asset = draft_asset_factory()
diff --git a/dandiapi/zarr/tasks/__init__.py b/dandiapi/zarr/tasks/__init__.py
index 6edf96964..2cffeab22 100644
--- a/dandiapi/zarr/tasks/__init__.py
+++ b/dandiapi/zarr/tasks/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
 from dandiapi.api.asset_paths import add_zarr_paths, delete_zarr_paths
 from dandiapi.api.storage import get_storage_params
-from dandiapi.api.tasks import validate_asset_metadata_task
 from dandiapi.zarr.models import ZarrArchive, ZarrArchiveStatus
 
 logger = get_task_logger(__name__)
@@ -67,17 +66,6 @@ def ingest_zarr_archive(zarr_id: str, force: bool = False):
         # Add asset paths after ingest is finished
         add_zarr_paths(zarr)
 
-        # Use function instead of lambda for correct closure
-        def dispatch_validation():
-            for asset_id in zarr.assets.values_list('id', flat=True).iterator():
-                # Note: while asset metadata is fairly lightweight compute-wise, memory-wise it can
-                # become an issue during serialization/deserialization of the JSON blob by pydantic.
-                # Therefore, we delay each validation to its own task.
-                validate_asset_metadata_task.delay(asset_id)
-
-        # Kickoff metadata validation for all zarr assets after the transaction completes
-        transaction.on_commit(dispatch_validation)
-
 
 def ingest_dandiset_zarrs(dandiset_id: int, **kwargs):
     for zarr in ZarrArchive.objects.filter(dandiset__id=dandiset_id):