diff --git a/cmd/edit.go b/cmd/edit.go
index 7dac8a9..2c2e695 100644
--- a/cmd/edit.go
+++ b/cmd/edit.go
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ var editCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		if content, err := os.ReadFile(tmp.Name()); err == nil {
-			if err := d.UpdateNode(args[0], db.UpdateParams{Content: string(content)}); err != nil {
+			c := string(content)
+			if err := d.UpdateNode(args[0], db.UpdateParams{Content: &c}); err != nil {
 				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "failed to update:", err)
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/update.go b/cmd/update.go
index e784699..3fd604b 100644
--- a/cmd/update.go
+++ b/cmd/update.go
@@ -61,8 +61,17 @@ var updateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			uRmTags = append(uRmTags, "_prio::low", "_prio::medium", "_prio::high")
 		}
 
-		uParams := db.UpdateParams{Title: uTitle, Content: uContent, DueDate: uDue, ClearDue: uClearDue,
+		uParams := db.UpdateParams{ClearDue: uClearDue,
 			AddTags: uAddTags, RemoveTags: uRmTags, AddRels: addRels, RemoveRels: rmRels}
+		if cmd.Flags().Changed("title") {
+			uParams.Title = &uTitle
+		}
+		if cmd.Flags().Changed("content") {
+			uParams.Content = &uContent
+		}
+		if cmd.Flags().Changed("due") {
+			uParams.DueDate = &uDue
+		}
 		if err := d.UpdateNode(args[0], uParams); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "failed to update:", err)
 			return
diff --git a/db/node.go b/db/node.go
index 5e1fba0..570e09b 100644
--- a/db/node.go
+++ b/db/node.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type CreateParams struct {
 	Rels                    map[models.RelType][]string
 }
 type UpdateParams struct {
-	Title, Content, DueDate string
+	Title, Content, DueDate *string
 	ClearDue                bool
 	AddTags, RemoveTags     []string
 	AddRels, RemoveRels     map[models.RelType][]string
@@ -97,19 +97,18 @@ func (db *DB) UpdateNode(id string, p UpdateParams) error {
 		_, err := tx.Exec("UPDATE nodes SET "+col+" = ? WHERE id = ?", val, id)
 		return err
 	}
-	//TODO: does it make sense to check for emtpy sting? should it be possible to set the content to ""?
-	if p.Title != "" {
-		if err := upd("title", p.Title); err != nil {
+	if p.Title != nil {
+		if err := upd("title", *p.Title); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	if p.Content != "" {
-		if err := upd("content", p.Content); err != nil {
+	if p.Content != nil {
+		if err := upd("content", *p.Content); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	if p.DueDate != "" {
-		if err := upd("due_date", p.DueDate); err != nil {
+	if p.DueDate != nil {
+		if err := upd("due_date", *p.DueDate); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -143,7 +142,6 @@ func (db *DB) UpdateNode(id string, p UpdateParams) error {
 }
 
 func (db *DB) DeleteNode(id string) error {
-	//TODO: check if this delete propagates?
 	_, err := db.Exec("DELETE FROM nodes WHERE id = ?", id)
 	return err
 }