diff --git a/internal/query/statement/update.go b/internal/query/statement/update.go
index 556a28989..b4cce7787 100644
--- a/internal/query/statement/update.go
+++ b/internal/query/statement/update.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package statement
 
 import (
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
 	"github.com/genjidb/genji/document"
 	"github.com/genjidb/genji/internal/expr"
 	"github.com/genjidb/genji/internal/stream"
@@ -42,18 +43,44 @@ type UpdateSetPair struct {
 
 // Prepare implements the Preparer interface.
 func (stmt *UpdateStmt) Prepare(c *Context) (Statement, error) {
+	ti, err := c.Catalog.GetTableInfo(stmt.TableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	pk := ti.GetPrimaryKey()
+
 	s := stream.New(stream.TableScan(stmt.TableName))
 
 	if stmt.WhereExpr != nil {
 		s = s.Pipe(stream.DocsFilter(stmt.WhereExpr))
 	}
 
+	var pkModified bool
 	if stmt.SetPairs != nil {
 		for _, pair := range stmt.SetPairs {
+			// if we modify the primary key,
+			// we must remove the old document and create an new one
+			if pk != nil && !pkModified {
+				for _, p := range pk.Paths {
+					if p.IsEqual(pair.Path) {
+						pkModified = true
+						break
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			s = s.Pipe(stream.PathsSet(pair.Path, pair.E))
 		}
 	} else if stmt.UnsetFields != nil {
 		for _, name := range stmt.UnsetFields {
+			// ensure we do not unset any path the is used in the primary key
+			if pk != nil {
+				path := document.NewPath(name)
+				for _, p := range pk.Paths {
+					if p.IsEqual(path) {
+						return nil, errors.New("cannot unset primary key path")
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			s = s.Pipe(stream.PathsUnset(name))
 		}
 	}
@@ -69,7 +96,12 @@ func (stmt *UpdateStmt) Prepare(c *Context) (Statement, error) {
 		s = s.Pipe(stream.IndexDelete(indexName))
 	}
 
-	s = s.Pipe(stream.TableReplace(stmt.TableName))
+	if pkModified {
+		s = s.Pipe(stream.TableDelete(stmt.TableName))
+		s = s.Pipe(stream.TableInsert(stmt.TableName))
+	} else {
+		s = s.Pipe(stream.TableReplace(stmt.TableName))
+	}
 
 	for _, indexName := range indexNames {
 		s = s.Pipe(stream.IndexInsert(indexName))
diff --git a/sqltests/UPDATE/pk.sql b/sqltests/UPDATE/pk.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d29ba3649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sqltests/UPDATE/pk.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+-- test: set primary key
+CREATE TABLE test (a int primary key, b int);
+INSERT INTO test (a, b) VALUES (1, 10); 
+UPDATE test SET a = 2, b = 20 WHERE a = 1;
+INSERT INTO test (a, b) VALUES (1, 10);
+SELECT pk(), * FROM test;
+/* result:
+{"pk()": [1], a: 1, b: 10}
+{"pk()": [2], a: 2, b: 20}
+*/
+
+-- test: set primary key / conflict
+CREATE TABLE test (a int primary key, b int);
+INSERT INTO test (a, b) VALUES (1, 10), (2, 20);
+UPDATE test SET a = 2, b = 20 WHERE a = 1;
+-- error: PRIMARY KEY constraint error: [a]
+
+-- test: set composite primary key
+CREATE TABLE test (a int, b int, c int, PRIMARY KEY(a, b));
+INSERT INTO test (a, b, c) VALUES (1, 10, 100); 
+UPDATE test SET a = 2, b = 20 WHERE a = 1;
+INSERT INTO test (a, b, c) VALUES (1, 10, 100);
+SELECT pk(), * FROM test;
+/* result:
+{"pk()": [1, 10], a: 1, b: 10, c: 100}
+{"pk()": [2, 20], a: 2, b: 20, c: 100}
+*/
+
+-- test: unset primary key
+CREATE TABLE test (a int primary key, b int);
+INSERT INTO test (a, b) VALUES (1, 10); 
+UPDATE test UNSET a WHERE a = 1;
+-- error: cannot unset primary key path
+
+-- test: unset composite primary key
+CREATE TABLE test (a int, b int, c int, PRIMARY KEY(a, b));
+INSERT INTO test (a, b, c) VALUES (1, 10, 100); 
+UPDATE test UNSET b WHERE a = 1;
+-- error: cannot unset primary key path
diff --git a/sqltests/sql_test.go b/sqltests/sql_test.go
index dbc52013d..8c4f6c850 100644
--- a/sqltests/sql_test.go
+++ b/sqltests/sql_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -89,7 +88,7 @@ func TestSQL(t *testing.T) {
 
 									if test.ErrorMatch != "" {
 										require.NotNilf(t, err, "%s:%d expected error, got nil", absPath, test.Line)
-										require.Regexpf(t, regexp.MustCompile(test.ErrorMatch), err.Error(), "Source %s:%d", absPath, test.Line)
+										require.Equal(t, test.ErrorMatch, err.Error(), "Source %s:%d", absPath, test.Line)
 									} else {
 										assert.Errorf(t, err, "\nSource:%s:%d expected\n%s\nto raise an error but got none", absPath, test.Line, test.Expr)
 									}