diff --git a/src/collections/data/index.ts b/src/collections/data/index.ts
index 2f90ab46..e498d910 100644
--- a/src/collections/data/index.ts
+++ b/src/collections/data/index.ts
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ export type UpdateObject<T> = {
   /** The ID of the object to be updated */
   id: string;
   /** The properties of the object to be updated */
-  properties?: NonReferenceInputs<T>;
+  properties?: Partial<NonReferenceInputs<T>>;
   /** The references of the object to be updated */
-  references?: ReferenceInputs<T>;
+  references?: Partial<ReferenceInputs<T>>;
   //* The vector(s) to update in the object */
   vectors?: number[] | Vectors;
 };
@@ -170,6 +170,13 @@ const addContext = <B extends IBuilder>(
   return builder;
 };
 
+type ParseObject<T> = {
+  id?: string;
+  properties?: Partial<NonReferenceInputs<T>>;
+  references?: Partial<ReferenceInputs<T>>;
+  vectors?: number[] | Vectors;
+};
+
 const data = <T>(
   connection: Connection,
   name: string,
@@ -180,7 +187,7 @@ const data = <T>(
   const objectsPath = new ObjectsPath(dbVersionSupport);
   const referencesPath = new ReferencesPath(dbVersionSupport);
 
-  const parseObject = async (object?: InsertObject<any>): Promise<WeaviateObject<T>> => {
+  const parseObject = async (object?: ParseObject<any>): Promise<WeaviateObject<T>> => {
     if (!object) {
       return {} as WeaviateObject<T>;
     }
diff --git a/src/collections/serialize/index.ts b/src/collections/serialize/index.ts
index 747bf00a..f7409b4e 100644
--- a/src/collections/serialize/index.ts
+++ b/src/collections/serialize/index.ts
@@ -1504,8 +1504,8 @@ export class Serialize {
   };
 
   public static restProperties = (
-    properties: Record<string, WeaviateField>,
-    references?: Record<string, ReferenceInput<any>>
+    properties: Record<string, WeaviateField | undefined>,
+    references?: Record<string, ReferenceInput<any> | undefined>
   ): Record<string, any> => {
     const parsedProperties: any = {};
     Object.keys(properties).forEach((key) => {
@@ -1529,6 +1529,9 @@ export class Serialize {
     });
     if (!references) return parsedProperties;
     for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(references)) {
+      if (value === undefined) {
+        continue;
+      }
       if (ReferenceGuards.isReferenceManager(value)) {
         parsedProperties[key] = value.toBeaconObjs();
       } else if (ReferenceGuards.isUuid(value)) {