diff --git a/src/modules/job-list/job_data.c b/src/modules/job-list/job_data.c
index a30286fbbaf1..db659502447d 100644
--- a/src/modules/job-list/job_data.c
+++ b/src/modules/job-list/job_data.c
@@ -460,18 +460,22 @@ static int parse_R (struct job *job, bool allow_nonfatal)
     return rc;
 }
 
-int job_parse_R (struct job *job, const char *s)
+int job_parse_R (struct job *job, const char *s, json_t *updates)
 {
     if (load_R (job, s, true) < 0)
         return -1;
-    return parse_R (job, true);
+    if (parse_R (job, true) < 0)
+        return -1;
+    return job_R_update (job, updates);
 }
 
-int job_parse_R_fatal (struct job *job, const char *s)
+int job_parse_R_fatal (struct job *job, const char *s, json_t *updates)
 {
     if (load_R (job, s, false) < 0)
         return -1;
-    return parse_R (job, false);
+    if (parse_R (job, false) < 0)
+        return -1;
+    return job_R_update (job, updates);
 }
 
 int job_jobspec_update (struct job *job, json_t *updates)
diff --git a/src/modules/job-list/job_data.h b/src/modules/job-list/job_data.h
index 98c5e96af298..98f37aba5281 100644
--- a/src/modules/job-list/job_data.h
+++ b/src/modules/job-list/job_data.h
@@ -127,12 +127,12 @@ int job_jobspec_update (struct job *job, json_t *updates);
  * - ncores
  * - ntasks (if necessary)
  */
-int job_parse_R (struct job *job, const char *s);
+int job_parse_R (struct job *job, const char *s, json_t *updates);
 
 /* identical to above, but all nonfatal errors will return error.
  * Primarily used for testing.
  */
-int job_parse_R_fatal (struct job *job, const char *s);
+int job_parse_R_fatal (struct job *job, const char *s, json_t *updates);
 
 /* Update R with RFC21 defined keys
  * (i.e. "expiration") and value.
diff --git a/src/modules/job-list/job_state.c b/src/modules/job-list/job_state.c
index 37f965aae057..efc2067f82e9 100644
--- a/src/modules/job-list/job_state.c
+++ b/src/modules/job-list/job_state.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ static void state_run_lookup_continuation (flux_future_t *f, void *arg)
         goto out;
     }
 
-    if (job_parse_R (job, s) < 0)
+    if (job_parse_R (job, s, NULL) < 0)
         goto out;
 
     updt = zlist_head (job->updates);
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ static int depthfirst_map_one (struct job_state_ctx *jsctx,
         if (flux_kvs_lookup_get (f3, &R) < 0)
             goto done;
 
-        if (job_parse_R (job, R) < 0)
+        if (job_parse_R (job, R, NULL) < 0)
             goto done;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/job-list/test/job_data.c b/src/modules/job-list/test/job_data.c
index aad5c289c428..ad65147fbf03 100644
--- a/src/modules/job-list/test/job_data.c
+++ b/src/modules/job-list/test/job_data.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static int parse_R (struct job *job, const char *filename)
 
     read_file (filename, (void **)&data);
 
-    ret = job_parse_R_fatal (job, data);
+    ret = job_parse_R_fatal (job, data, NULL);
 
     free (data);
     return ret;
@@ -821,23 +821,28 @@ static void test_R_update (void)
 
     read_file (filename, (void **)&data);
 
-    if (job_parse_R (job, data) < 0)
+    if (!(o = json_pack ("{s:f}", "expiration", 100.0)))
+        BAIL_OUT ("json_pack failed");
+
+    if (job_parse_R (job, data, o) < 0)
         BAIL_OUT ("cannot load basic R");
 
+    json_decref (o);
+
     ret = json_unpack (job->R,
                        "{s:{s:F}}",
                        "execution",
                        "expiration", &expiration);
     ok (ret == 0, "parsed initial R expiration");
 
-    ok (expiration == 0.0, "initial R expiration == 0.0");
-    ok (job->expiration == 0.0, "initial job->expiration == 0.0");
+    ok (expiration == 100.0, "initial R expiration == 100.0");
+    ok (job->expiration == 100.0, "initial job->expiration == 100.0");
 
     ret = job_R_update (job, NULL);
     ok (ret == 0, "job_R_update success with no update");
 
     if (!(o = json_pack ("{s:f s:s}",
-                         "expiration", 100.0,
+                         "expiration", 200.0,
                          "dummy", "dummy")))
         BAIL_OUT ("json_pack failed");
     ret = job_R_update (job, o);
@@ -850,8 +855,8 @@ static void test_R_update (void)
                        "expiration", &expiration);
     ok (ret == 0, "parsed updated R expiration");
 
-    ok (expiration == 100.0, "R expiration == 100.0");
-    ok (job->expiration == 100.0, "job->expiration == 100.0");
+    ok (expiration == 200.0, "R expiration == 200.0");
+    ok (job->expiration == 200.0, "job->expiration == 200.0");
 
     ret = json_unpack (job->R, "{s?s}", "dummy", &tmp);
     ok (ret == 0, "parsed updated R dummy");