diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
index 1c038f0194..904dd08ed1 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
@@ -57,13 +57,15 @@ exports.patch = async function(ctx) {
   let row = await db.get(ctx.params.id)
   const table = await db.get(row.tableId)
   const patchfields = ctx.request.body
-  row = coerceRowValues(row, table)
 
+  // need to build up full patch fields before coerce
   for (let key of Object.keys(patchfields)) {
     if (!table.schema[key]) continue
     row[key] = patchfields[key]
   }
 
+  row = coerceRowValues(row, table)
+
   const validateResult = await validate({
     row,
     table,
@@ -89,6 +91,8 @@ exports.patch = async function(ctx) {
 
   // Creation of a new user goes to the user controller
   if (row.tableId === ViewNames.USERS) {
+    // the row has been updated, need to put it into the ctx
+    ctx.request.body = row
     await usersController.update(ctx)
     return
   }
@@ -157,6 +161,8 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
 
   // Creation of a new user goes to the user controller
   if (row.tableId === ViewNames.USERS) {
+    // the row has been updated, need to put it into the ctx
+    ctx.request.body = row
     await usersController.create(ctx)
     return
   }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
index 9ef7c2281f..fcb4c34319 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
@@ -64,15 +64,13 @@ exports.create = async function(ctx) {
 exports.update = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.appId)
   const user = ctx.request.body
-  const dbUser = await db.get(ctx.request.body._id)
   if (user.password) {
     user.password = await bcrypt.hash(user.password)
   } else {
     delete user.password
   }
-  const newData = { ...dbUser, ...user }
 
-  const response = await db.put(newData)
+  const response = await db.put(user)
   user._rev = response.rev
 
   ctx.status = 200