diff --git a/orm_update_test.v b/orm_update_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b371229a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orm_update_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+module main
+
+import config
+import git
+import os
+
+// Coverage for the ORM update helpers in repo/branch.v (update_branch) and
+// repo/repo.v (save_repo). Both build `update X set col = col` statements where
+// the local variable shadows the column name, so the compiler has to pick one.
+// A silent self-assignment would make every save a no-op without failing
+// anything else.
+//
+// Nothing else catches this. The branch row is written by the push path and the
+// repo row by save_repo, so a self-assignment would surface only as stale numbers
+// in the UI, long after the write appeared to succeed.
+
+fn orm_fixture_git(args []string) string {
+	result := git.Git.exec(args)
+	if result.exit_code != 0 {
+		panic('git ${args} failed: ${result.output}')
+	}
+	return result.output.trim_space()
+}
+
+fn orm_fixture_app(root string) !App {
+	work_dir := os.join_path(root, 'work')
+	bare_dir := os.join_path(root, 'project.git')
+	orm_fixture_git(['init', '-b', 'main', work_dir])
+	orm_fixture_git(['-C', work_dir, 'config', 'user.name', 'Owner'])
+	orm_fixture_git(['-C', work_dir, 'config', 'user.email', 'owner@example.com'])
+	os.write_file(os.join_path(work_dir, 'README.md'), 'hello\n')!
+	orm_fixture_git(['-C', work_dir, 'add', 'README.md'])
+	orm_fixture_git(['-C', work_dir, 'commit', '-m', 'initial'])
+	orm_fixture_git(['clone', '--bare', work_dir, bare_dir])
+
+	conf := config.Config{
+		repo_storage_path: root
+		archive_path:      root
+		avatars_path:      root
+		sqlite:            config.SqliteConfig{
+			path: os.join_path(root, 'test.sqlite')
+		}
+	}
+	mut app := App{
+		db:     connect_db(conf)!
+		config: conf
+	}
+	app.create_tables()!
+	user := User{
+		id:            1
+		username:      'owner'
+		is_registered: true
+	}
+	sql app.db {
+		insert user into User
+	}!
+	app.add_repo(Repo{
+		id:             1
+		git_dir:        bare_dir
+		name:           'project'
+		user_id:        1
+		user_name:      'owner'
+		description:    'seeded description'
+		is_public:      true
+		primary_branch: 'main'
+		status:         .done
+	})!
+	return app
+}
+
+fn test_update_branch_writes_new_values() ! {
+	$if !sqlite ? {
+		return
+	}
+	root := os.join_path(os.temp_dir(), 'gitly_orm_update_branch_${os.getpid()}')
+	os.rmdir_all(root) or {}
+	os.mkdir_all(root)!
+	defer {
+		os.rmdir_all(root) or {}
+	}
+	mut app := orm_fixture_app(root)!
+	defer {
+		app.db.close() or {}
+	}
+
+	// If `update Branch set author = author` binds the right-hand side to the
+	// column rather than the local variable, this is a self-assignment and the
+	// row keeps its seeded values forever.
+	seeded := Branch{
+		id:      1
+		repo_id: 1
+		name:    'main'
+		author:  'old_author'
+		hash:    'old_hash'
+		date:    1000
+	}
+	sql app.db {
+		insert seeded into Branch
+	}!
+	app.update_branch(1, 'new_author', 'new_hash', 2000)!
+
+	branch := app.find_repo_branch_by_name(1, 'main')
+	assert branch.author == 'new_author'
+	assert branch.hash == 'new_hash'
+	assert branch.date == 2000
+}
+
+fn test_save_repo_writes_updated_counters() ! {
+	$if !sqlite ? {
+		return
+	}
+	root := os.join_path(os.temp_dir(), 'gitly_orm_save_repo_${os.getpid()}')
+	os.rmdir_all(root) or {}
+	os.mkdir_all(root)!
+	defer {
+		os.rmdir_all(root) or {}
+	}
+	mut app := orm_fixture_app(root)!
+	defer {
+		app.db.close() or {}
+	}
+
+	// Only the mutable fields of Repo are set here. `description`, `is_public` and
+	// `views_count` are outside the `mut:` block, so save_repo cannot change them
+	// on a row read back from the database, and asserting on them would fail for
+	// that reason rather than because of the ORM update.
+	mut repo := app.find_repo_by_id(1)!
+	repo.nr_branches = 7
+	repo.nr_tags = 11
+	repo.nr_stars = 13
+	repo.nr_releases = 5
+	repo.webhook_secret = 'rotated-secret'
+	app.save_repo(repo)!
+
+	saved := app.find_repo_by_id(1)!
+	assert saved.nr_branches == 7
+	assert saved.nr_tags == 11
+	assert saved.nr_stars == 13
+	assert saved.nr_releases == 5
+	assert saved.webhook_secret == 'rotated-secret'
+}