diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 30e179a..5f638cd 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "simple-memory-mcp",
-  "version": "1.0.16",
+  "version": "1.0.19",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "simple-memory-mcp",
-      "version": "1.0.16",
+      "version": "1.0.19",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk": "^1.17.3",
diff --git a/src/tests/memory-server-tests.ts b/src/tests/memory-server-tests.ts
index 4575593..ece7999 100644
--- a/src/tests/memory-server-tests.ts
+++ b/src/tests/memory-server-tests.ts
@@ -457,8 +457,8 @@ async function testUpdateMemoryTags(): Promise<void> {
 
   const hash = storeOutput.hash;
 
-  // Update tags only (keep same content)
-  const updateResult = await executeCommand(['update-memory', '--hash', hash, '--content', 'TypeScript configuration notes', '--tags', 'typescript,config,complete']);
+  // Update tags only (WITHOUT providing content - the new feature!)
+  const updateResult = await executeCommand(['update-memory', '--hash', hash, '--tags', 'typescript,config,complete']);
   
   if (updateResult.exitCode !== 0) {
     throw new Error(`Tag update failed: ${updateResult.stderr}`);
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ async function testUpdateMemoryTags(): Promise<void> {
     throw new Error('Tag update did not indicate tags were updated');
   }
 
-  console.log(`✓ Updated tags successfully`);
+  console.log(`✓ Updated tags successfully without providing content`);
 
   // Verify new tags by searching
   const searchResult = await executeCommand(['search-memory', '--tags', 'config']);
@@ -488,7 +488,12 @@ async function testUpdateMemoryTags(): Promise<void> {
     throw new Error('Tags were not properly updated');
   }
 
-  console.log(`✓ Verified tags were updated correctly`);
+  // Verify content remained unchanged
+  if (foundMemory.content !== 'TypeScript configuration notes') {
+    throw new Error('Content was changed when it should have remained the same');
+  }
+
+  console.log(`✓ Verified tags were updated and content remained unchanged`);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/tools/update-memory/executor.ts b/src/tools/update-memory/executor.ts
index d53cc71..d372d95 100644
--- a/src/tools/update-memory/executor.ts
+++ b/src/tools/update-memory/executor.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { debugLog, formatHash } from '../../utils/debug.js';
 
 interface UpdateMemoryArgs {
   hash: string;
-  content: string;
+  content?: string;
   tags?: string[];
 }
 
@@ -22,16 +22,6 @@ export async function execute(args: UpdateMemoryArgs, context: ToolContext): Pro
       throw new Error('Hash cannot be empty');
     }
 
-    if (!args.content || args.content.trim().length === 0) {
-      throw new Error('Content cannot be empty');
-    }
-
-    // Log content size for large memories
-    const contentSize = args.content.length;
-    if (contentSize > 100000) {
-      debugLog(`Updating with large content: ${contentSize} characters`);
-    }
-
     // Check if memory exists before updating
     const existing = context.memoryService.getByHash(args.hash);
     if (!existing) {
@@ -41,8 +31,22 @@ export async function execute(args: UpdateMemoryArgs, context: ToolContext): Pro
       };
     }
 
+    // Use existing content if not provided (tags-only update)
+    const newContent = args.content !== undefined ? args.content : existing.content;
+
+    // Validate content is not empty
+    if (!newContent || newContent.trim().length === 0) {
+      throw new Error('Content cannot be empty');
+    }
+
+    // Log content size for large memories
+    const contentSize = newContent.length;
+    if (contentSize > 100000) {
+      debugLog(`Updating with large content: ${contentSize} characters`);
+    }
+
     // Perform the update
-    const newHash = context.memoryService.update(args.hash, args.content, args.tags);
+    const newHash = context.memoryService.update(args.hash, newContent, args.tags);
     
     if (!newHash) {
       return {
@@ -53,6 +57,7 @@ export async function execute(args: UpdateMemoryArgs, context: ToolContext): Pro
 
     const hashChanged = newHash !== args.hash;
     const tagsUpdated = args.tags !== undefined;
+    const contentUpdated = args.content !== undefined;
     
     let message = `Memory updated successfully.`;
     if (hashChanged) {
@@ -60,8 +65,10 @@ export async function execute(args: UpdateMemoryArgs, context: ToolContext): Pro
     } else {
       message += ` Hash unchanged: ${formatHash(newHash)}...`;
     }
-    if (tagsUpdated) {
-      message += ` (tags updated)`;
+    if (tagsUpdated && !contentUpdated) {
+      message += ` (tags updated only)`;
+    } else if (tagsUpdated) {
+      message += ` (content and tags updated)`;
     }
     
     return {
diff --git a/src/tools/update-memory/index.ts b/src/tools/update-memory/index.ts
index 9b1ccd0..70ebc11 100644
--- a/src/tools/update-memory/index.ts
+++ b/src/tools/update-memory/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { parseCliArgs } from './cli-parser.js';
 export const updateMemoryTool: Tool = {
   definition: {
     name: 'update-memory',
-    description: 'Update an existing memory with new content and/or tags. The hash will change if content changes. If tags are provided, they replace all existing tags; if omitted, existing tags are preserved.',
+    description: 'Update an existing memory with new content and/or tags. The hash will change if content changes. If tags are provided, they replace all existing tags; if omitted, existing tags are preserved. If content is omitted, only tags are updated.',
     inputSchema: {
       type: 'object',
       properties: {
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export const updateMemoryTool: Tool = {
         },
         content: {
           type: 'string',
-          description: 'The new content for the memory'
+          description: 'The new content for the memory (optional - if omitted, content remains unchanged)'
         },
         tags: {
           type: 'array',
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export const updateMemoryTool: Tool = {
           description: 'New tags to replace existing tags (optional - if omitted, existing tags are preserved)'
         }
       },
-      required: ['hash', 'content']
+      required: ['hash']
     }
   },
   handler: execute,