diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.js b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 77383d80e9..0000000000
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-const setup = require("./utilities")
-
-describe("test the update row action", () => {
-  let table, row, inputs
-  let config = setup.getConfig()
-
-  beforeAll(async () => {
-    await config.init()
-    table = await config.createTable()
-    row = await config.createRow()
-    inputs = {
-      rowId: row._id,
-      row: {
-        ...row,
-        name: "Updated name",
-        // put a falsy option in to be removed
-        description: "",
-      }
-    }
-  })
-
-  afterAll(setup.afterAll)
-
-  it("should be able to run the action", async () => {
-    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, inputs)
-    expect(res.success).toEqual(true)
-    const updatedRow = await config.getRow(table._id, res.id)
-    expect(updatedRow.name).toEqual("Updated name")
-    expect(updatedRow.description).not.toEqual("")
-  })
-
-  it("should check invalid inputs return an error", async () => {
-    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, {})
-    expect(res.success).toEqual(false)
-  })
-
-  it("should return an error when table doesn't exist", async () => {
-    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, {
-      row: { _id: "invalid" },
-      rowId: "invalid",
-    })
-    expect(res.success).toEqual(false)
-  })
-})
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63925b0d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/updateRow.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import {
+  FieldSchema,
+  FieldType,
+  INTERNAL_TABLE_SOURCE_ID,
+  InternalTable,
+  RelationshipType,
+  Row,
+  Table,
+  TableSourceType,
+} from "@budibase/types"
+
+import * as setup from "./utilities"
+
+describe("test the update row action", () => {
+  let table: Table, row: Row, inputs: any
+  let config = setup.getConfig()
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    await config.init()
+    table = await config.createTable()
+    row = await config.createRow()
+    inputs = {
+      rowId: row._id,
+      row: {
+        ...row,
+        name: "Updated name",
+        // put a falsy option in to be removed
+        description: "",
+      },
+    }
+  })
+
+  afterAll(setup.afterAll)
+
+  it("should be able to run the action", async () => {
+    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, inputs)
+    expect(res.success).toEqual(true)
+    const updatedRow = await config.getRow(table._id!, res.id)
+    expect(updatedRow.name).toEqual("Updated name")
+    expect(updatedRow.description).not.toEqual("")
+  })
+
+  it("should check invalid inputs return an error", async () => {
+    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, {})
+    expect(res.success).toEqual(false)
+  })
+
+  it("should return an error when table doesn't exist", async () => {
+    const res = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, {
+      row: { _id: "invalid" },
+      rowId: "invalid",
+    })
+    expect(res.success).toEqual(false)
+  })
+
+  it("should not overwrite links if those links are not set", async () => {
+    let linkField: FieldSchema = {
+      type: FieldType.LINK,
+      name: "",
+      fieldName: "",
+      constraints: {
+        type: "array",
+        presence: false,
+      },
+      relationshipType: RelationshipType.ONE_TO_MANY,
+      tableId: InternalTable.USER_METADATA,
+    }
+
+    let table = await config.api.table.create({
+      name: "TestTable",
+      type: "table",
+      sourceType: TableSourceType.INTERNAL,
+      sourceId: INTERNAL_TABLE_SOURCE_ID,
+      schema: {
+        user1: { ...linkField, name: "user1", fieldName: "user1" },
+        user2: { ...linkField, name: "user2", fieldName: "user2" },
+      },
+    })
+
+    let user1 = await config.createUser()
+    let user2 = await config.createUser()
+
+    let row = await config.api.row.save(table._id!, {
+      user1: [{ _id: user1._id }],
+      user2: [{ _id: user2._id }],
+    })
+
+    let getResp = await config.api.row.get(table._id!, row._id!)
+    expect(getResp.body.user1[0]._id).toEqual(user1._id)
+    expect(getResp.body.user2[0]._id).toEqual(user2._id)
+
+    let stepResp = await setup.runStep(setup.actions.UPDATE_ROW.stepId, {
+      rowId: row._id,
+      row: {
+        _id: row._id,
+        _rev: row._rev,
+        tableId: row.tableId,
+        user1: [{ _id: user2._id }],
+      },
+    })
+    expect(stepResp.success).toEqual(true)
+
+    getResp = await config.api.row.get(table._id!, row._id!)
+    expect(getResp.body.user1[0]._id).toEqual(user2._id)
+    expect(getResp.body.user2[0]._id).toEqual(user2._id)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/index.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/index.ts
index 9ba4f950f3..cd3ea289ca 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/index.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import { BUILTIN_ACTION_DEFINITIONS, getAction } from "../../actions"
 import emitter from "../../../events/index"
 import env from "../../../environment"
 
-let config: any
+let config: TestConfig
 
-export function getConfig() {
+export function getConfig(): TestConfig {
   if (!config) {
-    config = new TestConfig(false)
+    config = new TestConfig(true)
   }
   return config
 }