diff --git a/nerve/agent/tools/handlers/tasks.py b/nerve/agent/tools/handlers/tasks.py
index cc7eea23..3fefa6de 100644
--- a/nerve/agent/tools/handlers/tasks.py
+++ b/nerve/agent/tools/handlers/tasks.py
@@ -294,9 +294,6 @@ async def task_update_handler(ctx: ToolContext, args: dict) -> ToolResult:
         if not task:
             return ToolResult.text(f"Task not found: {task_id}")
 
-        if status:
-            await ctx.db.update_task_status(task_id, status)
-
         new_tags_str = ""
         if raw_tags:
             current_tags = set(parse_tags_string(task.get("tags", "") or ""))
@@ -311,8 +308,6 @@ async def task_update_handler(ctx: ToolContext, args: dict) -> ToolResult:
             else:
                 new_tags_str = tags_to_string(parse_tags_string(raw_tags))
 
-            await ctx.db.update_task_tags(task_id, new_tags_str)
-
         if ctx.workspace and (note or deadline or raw_tags or new_title):
             file_path = ctx.workspace / task["file_path"]
             if file_path.exists():
@@ -321,17 +316,6 @@ async def task_update_handler(ctx: ToolContext, args: dict) -> ToolResult:
                 )
                 if new_title:
                     content = re.sub(r"^# .+", f"# {new_title}", content, count=1)
-                    await ctx.db.upsert_task(
-                        task_id=task_id,
-                        file_path=task["file_path"],
-                        title=new_title,
-                        status=status or task["status"],
-                        source=task.get("source"),
-                        source_url=task.get("source_url"),
-                        deadline=deadline or task.get("deadline"),
-                        tags=new_tags_str if raw_tags else (task.get("tags") or ""),
-                        content=content,
-                    )
                 if note:
                     today = datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
                     content += f"\n- {today}: {note}"
@@ -358,6 +342,29 @@ async def task_update_handler(ctx: ToolContext, args: dict) -> ToolResult:
                     file_path.write_text, content, encoding="utf-8",
                 )
 
+                final_title = new_title or task["title"]
+                final_status = status or task["status"]
+                final_deadline = deadline or task.get("deadline")
+                final_tags = new_tags_str if raw_tags else (task.get("tags") or "")
+                await ctx.db.upsert_task(
+                    task_id=task_id,
+                    file_path=task["file_path"],
+                    title=final_title,
+                    status=final_status,
+                    source=task.get("source"),
+                    source_url=task.get("source_url"),
+                    deadline=final_deadline,
+                    tags=final_tags,
+                    content=content,
+                )
+                return ToolResult.text(f"Task {task_id} updated.")
+
+        # Fall back to metadata updates when no task file was changed.
+        if status:
+            await ctx.db.update_task_status(task_id, status)
+        if raw_tags:
+            await ctx.db.update_task_tags(task_id, new_tags_str)
+
     return ToolResult.text(f"Task {task_id} updated.")
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_task_statuses.py b/tests/test_task_statuses.py
index 135fa61e..2aad109c 100644
--- a/tests/test_task_statuses.py
+++ b/tests/test_task_statuses.py
@@ -144,6 +144,54 @@ async def test_update_accepts_valid_status(self, db: Database, tmp_path):
         await task_update_handler(ctx, {"task_id": task_id, "status": "in_progress"})
         assert (await db.get_task(task_id))["status"] == "in_progress"
 
+    async def test_update_deadline_syncs_database(self, db: Database, tmp_path):
+        ctx = self._ctx(db, tmp_path)
+        await task_create_handler(ctx, {"title": "Deadline task", "content": "x"})
+        task_id = (await db.list_tasks(status="all"))[0]["id"]
+
+        await task_update_handler(ctx, {"task_id": task_id, "deadline": "2026-08-01"})
+
+        task = await db.get_task(task_id)
+        assert task["deadline"] == "2026-08-01"
+        assert "**Deadline:** 2026-08-01" in (tmp_path / task["file_path"]).read_text(
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+    async def test_update_note_refreshes_fts(self, db: Database, tmp_path):
+        ctx = self._ctx(db, tmp_path)
+        await task_create_handler(ctx, {"title": "Search task", "content": "x"})
+        task_id = (await db.list_tasks(status="all"))[0]["id"]
+
+        await task_update_handler(ctx, {"task_id": task_id, "note": "Investigated quasarflux"})
+
+        results = await db.search_tasks("quasarflux")
+        assert [task["id"] for task in results] == [task_id]
+
+    async def test_update_combined_fields_indexes_final_state(
+        self, db: Database, tmp_path,
+    ):
+        ctx = self._ctx(db, tmp_path)
+        await task_create_handler(ctx, {"title": "Original title", "content": "x"})
+        task_id = (await db.list_tasks(status="all"))[0]["id"]
+
+        await task_update_handler(
+            ctx,
+            {
+                "task_id": task_id,
+                "title": "Renamed task",
+                "status": "in_progress",
+                "deadline": "2026-08-01",
+                "tags": "ops,urgent",
+                "note": "Found nebularift",
+            },
+        )
+
+        task = await db.get_task(task_id)
+        assert (task["title"], task["status"], task["deadline"], task["tags"]) == (
+            "Renamed task", "in_progress", "2026-08-01", "ops,urgent",
+        )
+        assert [task["id"] for task in await db.search_tasks("nebularift")] == [task_id]
+
     async def test_status_create_handler(self, db: Database, tmp_path):
         ctx = self._ctx(db, tmp_path)
         result = await task_status_create_handler(