diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
index d4561740d67fb..bd93e844eb266 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
@@ -369,6 +369,16 @@ impl<'w, T: Component> ResMut<'w, T> {
         self.ticks
             .is_changed(self.last_change_tick, self.change_tick)
     }
+
+    /// Manually flags this resource as having been changed. This normally isn't
+    /// required because accessing this pointer mutably automatically flags this
+    /// resource as "changed".
+    ///
+    /// **Note**: This operation is irreversible.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn set_changed(&mut self) {
+        self.ticks.set_changed(self.change_tick);
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'w, T: Component> Deref for ResMut<'w, T> {
@@ -381,7 +391,7 @@ impl<'w, T: Component> Deref for ResMut<'w, T> {
 
 impl<'w, T: Component> DerefMut for ResMut<'w, T> {
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
-        self.ticks.set_changed(self.change_tick);
+        self.set_changed();
         self.value
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/world/pointer.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/world/pointer.rs
index 68d3f5d753715..dbca45b6f93e2 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/world/pointer.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/world/pointer.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@ impl<'a, T> Mut<'a, T> {
         self.component_ticks.set_changed(self.change_tick);
         self.value
     }
+
+    /// Manually flags this value as having been changed. This normally isn't
+    /// required because accessing this pointer mutably automatically flags this
+    /// value as "changed".
+    ///
+    /// **Note**: This operation is irreversible.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn set_changed(&mut self) {
+        self.component_ticks.set_changed(self.change_tick);
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'a, T> Deref for Mut<'a, T> {
@@ -28,7 +38,7 @@ impl<'a, T> Deref for Mut<'a, T> {
 impl<'a, T> DerefMut for Mut<'a, T> {
     #[inline]
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut T {
-        self.component_ticks.set_changed(self.change_tick);
+        self.set_changed();
         self.value
     }
 }