diff --git a/erpnext/accounts/doctype/account/account.py b/erpnext/accounts/doctype/account/account.py
index 1adc4c4d2f..7cca8d2003 100644
--- a/erpnext/accounts/doctype/account/account.py
+++ b/erpnext/accounts/doctype/account/account.py
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ class Account(NestedSet):
 		if ancestors:
 			if frappe.get_value("Company", self.company, "allow_account_creation_against_child_company"):
 				return
-			frappe.throw(_("Please add the account to root level Company - %s" % ancestors[0]))
+
+			if not frappe.db.get_value("Account",
+				{'account_name': self.account_name, 'company': ancestors[0]}, 'name'):
+				frappe.throw(_("Please add the account to root level Company - %s" % ancestors[0]))
 		else:
 			descendants = get_descendants_of('Company', self.company)
 			if not descendants: return
@@ -114,24 +117,7 @@ class Account(NestedSet):
 
 			if not parent_acc_name_map: return
 
-			for company in descendants:
-				if not parent_acc_name_map.get(company):
-					frappe.throw(_("While creating account for child Company {0}, parent account {1} not found. Please create the parent account in corresponding COA")
-						.format(company, parent_acc_name))
-
-				doc = frappe.copy_doc(self)
-				doc.flags.ignore_root_company_validation = True
-				doc.update({
-					"company": company,
-					# parent account's currency should be passed down to child account's curreny
-					# if it is None, it picks it up from default company currency, which might be unintended
-					"account_currency": self.account_currency,
-					"parent_account": parent_acc_name_map[company]
-				})
-				if not self.check_if_child_acc_exists(doc):
-					doc.save()
-				frappe.msgprint(_("Account {0} is added in the child company {1}")
-					.format(doc.name, company))
+			self.create_account_for_child_company(parent_acc_name_map, descendants)
 
 	def validate_group_or_ledger(self):
 		if self.get("__islocal"):
@@ -173,23 +159,48 @@ class Account(NestedSet):
 			if frappe.db.get_value("GL Entry", {"account": self.name}):
 				frappe.throw(_("Currency can not be changed after making entries using some other currency"))
 
-	def check_if_child_acc_exists(self, doc):
-		''' Checks if a account in parent company exists in the  '''
-		info = frappe.db.get_value("Account", {
-			"account_name": doc.account_name,
-			"account_number": doc.account_number
-		}, ['company', 'account_currency', 'is_group', 'root_type', 'account_type', 'balance_must_be', 'account_name'], as_dict=1)
+	def create_account_for_child_company(self, parent_acc_name_map, descendants):
+		for company in descendants:
+			if not parent_acc_name_map.get(company):
+				frappe.throw(_("While creating account for child Company {0}, parent account {1} not found. Please create the parent account in corresponding COA")
+					.format(company, parent_acc_name))
 
-		if not info:
-			return
+			filters = {
+				"account_name": self.account_name,
+				"company": company
+			}
 
-		doc = vars(doc)
-		dict_diff = [k for k in info if k in doc and info[k] != doc[k] and k != "company"]
-		if dict_diff:
-			frappe.throw(_("Account {0} already exists in child company {1}. The following fields have different values, they should be same:<ul><li>{2}</li></ul>")
-				.format(info.account_name, info.company, '</li><li>'.join(dict_diff)))
-		else:
-			return True
+			if self.account_number:
+				filters["account_number"] = self.account_number
+
+			child_account = frappe.db.get_value("Account", filters, 'name')
+
+			if not child_account:
+				doc = frappe.copy_doc(self)
+				doc.flags.ignore_root_company_validation = True
+				doc.update({
+					"company": company,
+					# parent account's currency should be passed down to child account's curreny
+					# if it is None, it picks it up from default company currency, which might be unintended
+					"account_currency": self.account_currency,
+					"parent_account": parent_acc_name_map[company]
+				})
+
+				doc.save()
+				frappe.msgprint(_("Account {0} is added in the child company {1}")
+					.format(doc.name, company))
+			elif child_account:
+				# update the parent company's value in child companies
+				doc = frappe.get_doc("Account", child_account)
+				parent_value_changed = False
+				for field in ['account_type', 'account_currency',
+					'freeze_account', 'balance_must_be']:
+					if doc.get(field) != self.get(field):
+						parent_value_changed = True
+						doc.set(field, self.get(field))
+
+				if parent_value_changed:
+					doc.save()
 
 	def convert_group_to_ledger(self):
 		if self.check_if_child_exists():