diff --git a/dmci/distributors/pycsw_dist.py b/dmci/distributors/pycsw_dist.py
index ff7f671..345ca47 100644
--- a/dmci/distributors/pycsw_dist.py
+++ b/dmci/distributors/pycsw_dist.py
@@ -103,21 +103,13 @@ def _update(self):
         properties against a csw:Constraint, to update: Define
         overwriting property, search for places to overwrite.
         """
-        headers = requests.structures.CaseInsensitiveDict()
-        headers["Content-Type"] = "application/xml"
-        headers["Accept"] = "application/xml"
-        xml = (
-            b'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'
-            b'<csw:Transaction xmlns:csw="http://www.opengis.net/cat/csw/2.0.2" '
-            b'xmlns:ows="http://www.opengis.net/ows" '
-            b'xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" '
-            b'xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/cat/csw/2.0.2 '
-            b'http://schemas.opengis.net/csw/2.0.2/CSW-publication.xsd" '
-            b'service="CSW" version="2.0.2"><csw:Update>'
-        )
-        xml += self._translate()
-        xml += b"</csw:Update></csw:Transaction>"
-        return self._post_request(headers, xml, "update", self.TOTAL_UPDATED)
+        del_status, del_response_text = self._delete()
+        if not del_status:
+            return del_status, del_response_text.replace("delete", "update")
+        ins_status, ins_response_text = self._insert()
+        response_text = ins_response_text.replace("insert", "update")
+        # Handle insertion
+        return ins_status, response_text
 
     def _delete(self):
         """Delete entry with a specified metadata_id."""
diff --git a/tests/test_dist/test_pycsw_dist.py b/tests/test_dist/test_pycsw_dist.py
index 63172cb..bc2ee44 100644
--- a/tests/test_dist/test_pycsw_dist.py
+++ b/tests/test_dist/test_pycsw_dist.py
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@
 import os
 import pytest
 import requests
-from tools import causeException
 
 from lxml import etree
+from unittest import mock
+from tools import causeException
 
 from dmci.api.worker import Worker
 from dmci.distributors.pycsw_dist import PyCSWDist
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ def testDistPyCSW_Update(monkeypatch, mockXml, mockXslt, tmpUUID, tmpConf):
 
     tstWorker = Worker("update", None, None)
     tstWorker._file_metadata_id = tmpUUID
+    tstWorker._namespace = "no.test"
     tstWorker._conf = tmpConf
 
     # Update returns True
@@ -136,15 +138,32 @@ def testDistPyCSW_Update(monkeypatch, mockXml, mockXslt, tmpUUID, tmpConf):
 
     # Update returns False if the http post request fails
     with monkeypatch.context() as mp:
+        # Delete within update fails
         mp.setattr(
             "dmci.distributors.pycsw_dist.requests.post", causeException)
         tstPyCSW = PyCSWDist("update", xml_file=mockXml)
+        tstPyCSW._worker = tstWorker
         tstPyCSW._conf = tmpConf
         assert tstPyCSW.run() == (
             False,
             "http://localhost: service unavailable. Failed to update."
         )
 
+        # Insert within update fails
+        def new_delete(cls, *a, **k):
+            return True, ""
+
+        with mock.patch.object(PyCSWDist, '_delete', new=new_delete):
+            mp.setattr(
+                "dmci.distributors.pycsw_dist.requests.post", causeException)
+            tstPyCSW = PyCSWDist("update", xml_file=mockXml)
+            tstPyCSW._worker = tstWorker
+            tstPyCSW._conf = tmpConf
+            assert tstPyCSW.run() == (
+                False,
+                "http://localhost: service unavailable. Failed to update."
+            )
+
 # END Test testDistPyCSW_Update