server/routes.js

@@ -112,13 +112,17 @@ router.post('/instances', (req, res) => {
 router.put('/instances/:vmid', (req, res) => {
   const vmid = parseInt(req.params.vmid, 10);
   if (!vmid) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'invalid vmid' });
-  if (!getInstance(vmid)) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'instance not found' });
 
-  const errors = validate(req.body);
+  const existing = getInstance(vmid);
+  if (!existing) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'instance not found' });
+
+  const merged = { ...existing, ...(req.body ?? {}) };
+
+  const errors = validate(merged);
   if (errors.length) return res.status(400).json({ errors });
 
   try {
-    const data = normalise(req.body);
+    const data = normalise(merged);
     updateInstance(vmid, data);
     res.json(getInstance(data.vmid));
   } catch (e) {

tests/api.test.js

@@ -257,6 +257,18 @@ describe('PUT /api/instances/:vmid', () => {
     const res = await request(app).put('/api/instances/100').send({ ...base, vmid: 200 })
     expect(res.status).toBe(409)
   })
+
+  it('accepts a partial body and preserves unspecified fields', async () => {
+    await request(app).post('/api/instances').send({ ...base, atlas: 1, tailscale_ip: '100.64.0.1' })
+    const res = await request(app).put('/api/instances/100').send({ state: 'degraded' })
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(res.body.state).toBe('degraded')
+    expect(res.body.name).toBe(base.name)
+    expect(res.body.vmid).toBe(100)
+    expect(res.body.stack).toBe(base.stack)
+    expect(res.body.atlas).toBe(1)
+    expect(res.body.tailscale_ip).toBe('100.64.0.1')
+  })
 })
 
 // ── DELETE /api/instances/:vmid ───────────────────────────────────────────────