diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParams.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParams.java
index 3f9348ca436c9..7c56d9db1d08c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParams.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParams.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public Builder setModelSizeStats(ModelSizeStats modelSizeStats) {
         }
 
         public Builder setTimingStats(TimingStats timingStats) {
-            this.timingStats = timingStats;
+            this.timingStats = new TimingStats(timingStats);
             return this;
         }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParamsTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParamsTests.java
index 37f39f25f8101..6fbc051c17107 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParamsTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/params/AutodetectParamsTests.java
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ public void testBuilder_WithTimingStats() {
         TimingStats timingStats = new TimingStats(JOB_ID, 7, 1.0, 1000.0, 666.0);
         AutodetectParams params = new AutodetectParams.Builder(JOB_ID).setTimingStats(timingStats).build();
         assertThat(params.timingStats(), equalTo(timingStats));
+
+        timingStats.updateStats(2000.0);
+        assertThat(timingStats, equalTo(new TimingStats(JOB_ID, 8, 1.0, 2000.0, 832.75)));
+        assertThat(params.timingStats(), equalTo(new TimingStats(JOB_ID, 7, 1.0, 1000.0, 666.0)));
     }
 
     public void testBuilder_WithoutTimingStats() {