diff --git a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
index b090275db..718b85c11 100644
--- a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export class StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     // SQL does not support empty updates, mirror behavior here for better test simulation
     if (Object.keys(object).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Empty update (${tableIdField} = ${id})`);
@@ -268,14 +268,14 @@ export class StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter<
     // SQL updates to a nonexistent row succeed but affect 0 rows,
     // mirror that behavior here for better test simulation
     if (objectIndex < 0) {
-      return [];
+      return { updatedRowCount: 0 };
     }
 
     objectCollection[objectIndex] = {
       ...objectCollection[objectIndex],
       ...object,
     };
-    return [objectCollection[objectIndex]];
+    return { updatedRowCount: 1 };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(
diff --git a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter-test.ts b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
index 39e912c17..c3c42c9c9 100644
--- a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
@@ -573,13 +573,9 @@ describe(StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter, () => {
           ]),
         ),
       );
-      const result = await databaseAdapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'hello', {
+      await databaseAdapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'hello', {
         stringField: 'b',
       });
-      expect(result).toMatchObject({
-        stringField: 'b',
-        testIndexedField: 'h1',
-      });
     });
 
     it('throws error when empty update to match common DBMS behavior', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/PostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/PostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
index d03e37eec..60746c225 100644
--- a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/PostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/PostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -257,10 +257,11 @@ export class PostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
-    return await wrapNativePostgresCallAsync(() =>
-      queryInterface.update(object).into(tableName).where(tableIdField, id).returning('*'),
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
+    const updatedRowCount = await wrapNativePostgresCallAsync(() =>
+      queryInterface.update(object).into(tableName).where(tableIdField, id),
     );
+    return { updatedRowCount };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(
diff --git a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
index 77312bc86..8ce78a54d 100644
--- a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter<
   private readonly fetchResults: object[];
   private readonly fetchOneResult: object | null;
   private readonly insertResults: object[];
-  private readonly updateResults: object[];
+  private readonly updateResults: { updatedRowCount: number };
   private readonly fetchEqualityConditionResults: object[];
   private readonly fetchRawWhereResults: object[];
   private readonly fetchSQLFragmentResults: object[];
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter<
     fetchResults = [],
     fetchOneResult = null,
     insertResults = [],
-    updateResults = [],
+    updateResults = { updatedRowCount: 0 },
     fetchEqualityConditionResults = [],
     fetchRawWhereResults = [],
     fetchSQLFragmentResults = [],
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter<
     fetchResults?: object[];
     fetchOneResult?: object | null;
     insertResults?: object[];
-    updateResults?: object[];
+    updateResults?: { updatedRowCount: number };
     fetchEqualityConditionResults?: object[];
     fetchRawWhereResults?: object[];
     fetchSQLFragmentResults?: object[];
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends BasePostgresEntityDatabaseAdapter<
     _tableIdField: string,
     _id: any,
     _object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     return this.updateResults;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/fixtures/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/fixtures/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
index 9085c75c7..52a1c9347 100644
--- a/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/fixtures/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-database-adapter-knex/src/__tests__/fixtures/StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ export class StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     // SQL does not support empty updates, mirror behavior here for better test simulation
     if (Object.keys(object).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Empty update (${tableIdField} = ${id})`);
@@ -269,14 +269,14 @@ export class StubPostgresDatabaseAdapter<
     // SQL updates to a nonexistent row succeed but affect 0 rows,
     // mirror that behavior here for better test simulation
     if (objectIndex < 0) {
-      return [];
+      return { updatedRowCount: 0 };
     }
 
     objectCollection[objectIndex] = {
       ...objectCollection[objectIndex],
       ...object,
     };
-    return [objectCollection[objectIndex]];
+    return { updatedRowCount: 1 };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(
diff --git a/packages/entity-example/src/adapters/InMemoryDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity-example/src/adapters/InMemoryDatabaseAdapter.ts
index d0a5c589c..73c00f332 100644
--- a/packages/entity-example/src/adapters/InMemoryDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-example/src/adapters/InMemoryDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class InMemoryDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     // SQL does not support empty updates, mirror behavior here for better test simulation
     if (Object.keys(object).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Empty update (${tableIdField} = ${id})`);
@@ -98,14 +98,14 @@ class InMemoryDatabaseAdapter<
     // SQL updates to a nonexistent row succeed but affect 0 rows,
     // mirror that behavior here for better test simulation
     if (objectIndex < 0) {
-      return [];
+      return { updatedRowCount: 0 };
     }
 
     dbObjects[objectIndex] = {
       ...dbObjects[objectIndex],
       ...object,
     };
-    return [dbObjects[objectIndex]];
+    return { updatedRowCount: 1 };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(
diff --git a/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
index 513856157..5d8f141ee 100644
--- a/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export class StubDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     // SQL does not support empty updates, mirror behavior here for better test simulation
     if (Object.keys(object).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Empty update (${tableIdField} = ${id})`);
@@ -150,14 +150,14 @@ export class StubDatabaseAdapter<
     // SQL updates to a nonexistent row succeed but affect 0 rows,
     // mirror that behavior here for better test simulation
     if (objectIndex < 0) {
-      return [];
+      return { updatedRowCount: 0 };
     }
 
     objectCollection[objectIndex] = {
       ...objectCollection[objectIndex],
       ...object,
     };
-    return [objectCollection[objectIndex]];
+    return { updatedRowCount: 1 };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(
diff --git a/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubDatabaseAdapter-test.ts b/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
index ec00aea15..68d0b4a33 100644
--- a/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
+++ b/packages/entity-testing-utils/src/__tests__/StubDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
@@ -279,13 +279,9 @@ describe(StubDatabaseAdapter, () => {
           ]),
         ),
       );
-      const result = await databaseAdapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'hello', {
+      await databaseAdapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'hello', {
         stringField: 'b',
       });
-      expect(result).toMatchObject({
-        stringField: 'b',
-        testIndexedField: 'h1',
-      });
     });
 
     it('throws error when empty update to match common DBMS behavior', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/entity/src/EntityDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity/src/EntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
index cc6250a37..68babcf12 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/EntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/EntityDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -202,21 +202,20 @@ export abstract class EntityDatabaseAdapter<
    * @param idField - the field in the object that is the ID
    * @param id - the value of the ID field in the object
    * @param object - the object to update
-   * @returns the updated object
    */
   async updateAsync<K extends keyof TFields>(
     queryContext: EntityQueryContext,
     idField: K,
     id: any,
     object: Readonly<Partial<TFields>>,
-  ): Promise<Readonly<TFields>> {
+  ): Promise<void> {
     const idColumn = getDatabaseFieldForEntityField(this.entityConfiguration, idField);
     const dbObject = transformFieldsToDatabaseObject(
       this.entityConfiguration,
       this.fieldTransformerMap,
       object,
     );
-    const results = await this.updateInternalAsync(
+    const { updatedRowCount } = await this.updateInternalAsync(
       queryContext.getQueryInterface(),
       this.entityConfiguration.tableName,
       idColumn,
@@ -224,24 +223,18 @@ export abstract class EntityDatabaseAdapter<
       dbObject,
     );
 
-    if (results.length > 1) {
+    if (updatedRowCount > 1) {
       // This should never happen with a properly implemented database adapter unless the underlying table has a non-unique
       // primary key column.
       throw new EntityDatabaseAdapterExcessiveUpdateResultError(
         `Excessive results from database adapter update: ${this.entityConfiguration.tableName}(id = ${id})`,
       );
-    } else if (results.length === 0) {
+    } else if (updatedRowCount === 0) {
       // This happens when the object to update does not exist. It may have been deleted by another process.
       throw new EntityDatabaseAdapterEmptyUpdateResultError(
         `Empty results from database adapter update: ${this.entityConfiguration.tableName}(id = ${id})`,
       );
     }
-
-    return transformDatabaseObjectToFields(
-      this.entityConfiguration,
-      this.fieldTransformerMap,
-      results[0]!,
-    );
   }
 
   protected abstract updateInternalAsync(
@@ -250,7 +243,7 @@ export abstract class EntityDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]>;
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }>;
 
   /**
    * Delete an object by ID.
diff --git a/packages/entity/src/__tests__/EntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts b/packages/entity/src/__tests__/EntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
index e4603d571..cc50e4b5b 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/__tests__/EntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/__tests__/EntityDatabaseAdapter-test.ts
@@ -23,20 +23,20 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends EntityDatabaseAdapter<TestFields, 'custo
   private readonly fetchResults: object[];
   private readonly fetchOneResult: object | null;
   private readonly insertResults: object[];
-  private readonly updateResults: object[];
+  private readonly updateResults: { updatedRowCount: number };
   private readonly deleteCount: number;
 
   constructor({
     fetchResults = [],
     fetchOneResult = null,
     insertResults = [],
-    updateResults = [],
+    updateResults = { updatedRowCount: 0 },
     deleteCount = 0,
   }: {
     fetchResults?: object[];
     fetchOneResult?: object | null;
     insertResults?: object[];
-    updateResults?: object[];
+    updateResults?: { updatedRowCount: number };
     deleteCount?: number;
   }) {
     super(testEntityConfiguration);
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class TestEntityDatabaseAdapter extends EntityDatabaseAdapter<TestFields, 'custo
     _tableIdField: string,
     _id: any,
     _object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     return this.updateResults;
   }
 
@@ -256,16 +256,15 @@ describe(EntityDatabaseAdapter, () => {
   });
 
   describe('updateAsync', () => {
-    it('transforms object', async () => {
+    it('succeeds when one row updated', async () => {
       const queryContext = instance(mock(EntityQueryContext));
-      const adapter = new TestEntityDatabaseAdapter({ updateResults: [{ string_field: 'hello' }] });
-      const result = await adapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'wat', {});
-      expect(result).toEqual({ stringField: 'hello' });
+      const adapter = new TestEntityDatabaseAdapter({ updateResults: { updatedRowCount: 1 } });
+      await adapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'wat', {});
     });
 
     it('throws when update result count zero', async () => {
       const queryContext = instance(mock(EntityQueryContext));
-      const adapter = new TestEntityDatabaseAdapter({ updateResults: [] });
+      const adapter = new TestEntityDatabaseAdapter({ updateResults: { updatedRowCount: 0 } });
       await expect(adapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'wat', {})).rejects.toThrow(
         EntityDatabaseAdapterEmptyUpdateResultError,
       );
@@ -274,7 +273,7 @@ describe(EntityDatabaseAdapter, () => {
     it('throws when update result count greater than 1', async () => {
       const queryContext = instance(mock(EntityQueryContext));
       const adapter = new TestEntityDatabaseAdapter({
-        updateResults: [{ string_field: 'hello' }, { string_field: 'hello2' }],
+        updateResults: { updatedRowCount: 2 },
       });
       await expect(adapter.updateAsync(queryContext, 'customIdField', 'wat', {})).rejects.toThrow(
         EntityDatabaseAdapterExcessiveUpdateResultError,
diff --git a/packages/entity/src/utils/__testfixtures__/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts b/packages/entity/src/utils/__testfixtures__/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
index 6f32b3488..25b86c5a1 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/utils/__testfixtures__/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/utils/__testfixtures__/StubDatabaseAdapter.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export class StubDatabaseAdapter<
     tableIdField: string,
     id: any,
     object: object,
-  ): Promise<object[]> {
+  ): Promise<{ updatedRowCount: number }> {
     // SQL does not support empty updates, mirror behavior here for better test simulation
     if (Object.keys(object).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Empty update (${tableIdField} = ${id})`);
@@ -150,14 +150,14 @@ export class StubDatabaseAdapter<
     // SQL updates to a nonexistent row succeed but affect 0 rows,
     // mirror that behavior here for better test simulation
     if (objectIndex < 0) {
-      return [];
+      return { updatedRowCount: 0 };
     }
 
     objectCollection[objectIndex] = {
       ...objectCollection[objectIndex],
       ...object,
     };
-    return [objectCollection[objectIndex]];
+    return { updatedRowCount: 1 };
   }
 
   protected async deleteInternalAsync(