Invalid flag resets on Email Address when the address is linked to a record

I have an Email Address that is marked as Invalid on Contact A

Someone adds a Lead with that same address

the Invalid flag on the email address is reset.

This is not desired behavior. We mark email addresses as invalid after hard bounces in our marketing system. I expect the flag to persist when someone who does not know any better assigns that email address to a Lead or Contact.

Is there a way I can stop the relationship from changing the invalid flag?

thanks.
Francesca

tested in Ent 12.0 and it's the same behavior.