diff --git a/pkg/sql/alter_table.go b/pkg/sql/alter_table.go
index 5e98f66b8659..f0ac6cb8f4f0 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/alter_table.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/alter_table.go
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ func (n *alterTableNode) startExec(params runParams) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			descriptorChanged = !proto.Equal(
+			descriptorChanged = descriptorChanged || !proto.Equal(
 				&n.tableDesc.PrimaryIndex.Partitioning,
 				&partitioning,
 			)
@@ -660,11 +660,11 @@ func (n *alterTableNode) startExec(params runParams) error {
 			n.tableDesc.PrimaryIndex.Partitioning = partitioning
 
 		case *tree.AlterTableSetAudit:
-			var err error
-			descriptorChanged, err = params.p.setAuditMode(params.ctx, n.tableDesc, t.Mode)
+			changed, err := params.p.setAuditMode(params.ctx, n.tableDesc, t.Mode)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			descriptorChanged = descriptorChanged || changed
 
 		case *tree.AlterTableInjectStats:
 			sd, ok := n.statsData[i]
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ func (n *alterTableNode) startExec(params runParams) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			descriptorChanged = descChanged
+			descriptorChanged = descriptorChanged || descChanged
 
 		case *tree.AlterTableRenameConstraint:
 			info, err := n.tableDesc.GetConstraintInfo(params.ctx, nil, params.ExecCfg().Codec)
diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/alter_table b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/alter_table
index d554d2abb56a..546fe0e1db79 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/alter_table
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/alter_table
@@ -1358,3 +1358,9 @@ child  CREATE TABLE public.child (
        CONSTRAINT "primary" PRIMARY KEY (c ASC),
        FAMILY fam_0_c_p (c)
 )
+
+# Regression test for #52816.
+statement ok
+CREATE TABLE t52816 (x INT, y INT);
+ALTER TABLE t52816 RENAME COLUMN x TO x2, RENAME COLUMN y TO y;
+SELECT x2, y FROM t52816