diff --git a/app/controllers/service_providers_controller.rb b/app/controllers/service_providers_controller.rb
index 56486adba..aa463f82e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/service_providers_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/service_providers_controller.rb
@@ -81,12 +81,12 @@ def validate_and_save_service_provider(initial_action)
   def save_service_provider(service_provider)
     service_provider.save!
     flash[:success] = I18n.t('notices.service_provider_saved', issuer: service_provider.issuer)
-    publish_service_providers
+    publish_service_provider
     redirect_to service_provider_path(service_provider)
   end
 
-  def publish_service_providers
-    if ServiceProviderUpdater.ping == 200
+  def publish_service_provider
+    if ServiceProviderUpdater.ping(body_attributes) == 200
       flash[:notice] = I18n.t('notices.service_providers_refreshed')
     else
       flash[:error] = I18n.t('notices.service_providers_refresh_failed')
@@ -228,5 +228,11 @@ def clear_formatting(service_provider)
     service_provider
   end
 
+  def body_attributes
+    {
+      service_provider: ServiceProviderSerializer.new(service_provider),
+    }
+  end
+
   helper_method :service_provider
 end
diff --git a/app/models/service_provider.rb b/app/models/service_provider.rb
index 94c84a52b..16b579327 100644
--- a/app/models/service_provider.rb
+++ b/app/models/service_provider.rb
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def validate_attribute_bundle
     true
   end
 
-  def contains_invalid_attribute? 
+  def contains_invalid_attribute?
     possible_attributes = ALLOWED_IAL1_ATTRIBUTES + ALLOWED_IAL2_ATTRIBUTES
     attribute_bundle.any? { |att| !possible_attributes.include?(att) }
   end
diff --git a/app/services/service_provider_updater.rb b/app/services/service_provider_updater.rb
index ba0a84209..a2ad412b0 100644
--- a/app/services/service_provider_updater.rb
+++ b/app/services/service_provider_updater.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 class ServiceProviderUpdater
-  def self.ping
-    resp = Faraday.post(idp_url, nil, token_header)
+  def self.ping(body=nil)
+    resp = conn.post {|req| req.body = body.to_json if body.present? }
 
     status_code = resp.status
     return status_code if status_code == 200
@@ -14,12 +14,19 @@ def self.ping
   end
 
   class << self
+    def conn
+      Faraday.new(url: idp_url, headers:)
+    end
+
     def idp_url
       IdentityConfig.store.idp_sp_url
     end
 
-    def token_header
-      { 'X-LOGIN-DASHBOARD-TOKEN' => IdentityConfig.store.dashboard_api_token }
+    def headers
+      {
+        'X-LOGIN-DASHBOARD-TOKEN' => IdentityConfig.store.dashboard_api_token,
+        'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
+      }
     end
 
     def handle_error(error)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/service_providers_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/service_providers_controller_spec.rb
index d5e3c0f8c..5d438ba9b 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/service_providers_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/service_providers_controller_spec.rb
@@ -155,5 +155,16 @@
       put :update, params: { id: sp.id, service_provider: { issuer: sp.issuer, cert: empty_file } }
       expect(sp.reload.certs&.size).to equal(0)
     end
+
+    it 'sends a serialized service provider to the IDP' do
+      allow(ServiceProviderSerializer).to receive(:new) { 'attributes' }
+      allow(ServiceProviderUpdater).to receive(:ping).and_call_original
+      put :update, params: { id: sp.id, service_provider: { issuer: sp.issuer } }
+      provider = ServiceProvider.find_by(issuer: sp.issuer)
+
+      expect(ServiceProviderUpdater).to have_received(:ping).with(
+        { service_provider: 'attributes' },
+      )
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/services/service_provider_updater_spec.rb b/spec/services/service_provider_updater_spec.rb
index 2904fcaa4..a7e7c231b 100644
--- a/spec/services/service_provider_updater_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/service_provider_updater_spec.rb
@@ -1,21 +1,38 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe ServiceProviderUpdater do
+  let(:connection) { Faraday.new }
+  let(:url) { IdentityConfig.store.idp_sp_url }
+  let(:token) { IdentityConfig.store.dashboard_api_token }
   let(:status) { 200 }
+  let(:headers) do
+    {
+      'X-LOGIN-DASHBOARD-TOKEN' => token,
+      'Content-Type' => 'application/json'
+      }
+  end
 
   before do
-    stub_request(:post, IdentityConfig.store.idp_sp_url).
-      with(headers: { 'X-LOGIN-DASHBOARD-TOKEN' => IdentityConfig.store.dashboard_api_token }).
-      to_return(status: status)
+    stub_request(:post, url).
+      with(headers:).
+      to_return(status:)
   end
 
   describe '#ping' do
-    context 'when successful' do
+    context 'when a body is not passed through' do
       it 'returns status code 200 for success' do
         expect(ServiceProviderUpdater.ping).to eq 200
       end
     end
 
+    context 'when a body is passed in' do
+      let(:body) { {service_provider: {}} }
+
+      it 'returns status code 200 for success' do
+        expect(ServiceProviderUpdater.ping(body)).to eq 200
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'when the HTTP request fails' do
       let(:status) { 404 }