diff --git a/grails-app/services/au/org/ala/profile/OpusService.groovy b/grails-app/services/au/org/ala/profile/OpusService.groovy
index 72505cd..f1a3bed 100644
--- a/grails-app/services/au/org/ala/profile/OpusService.groovy
+++ b/grails-app/services/au/org/ala/profile/OpusService.groovy
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ class OpusService extends BaseDataAccessService {
                 opus.markDirty('approvedLists')
             }
             opus.approvedLists.addAll(json.approvedLists)
+        } else {
+            opus.approvedLists.removeAll(opus.approvedLists)
         }
 
         if (json.featureLists) {
@@ -82,6 +84,8 @@ class OpusService extends BaseDataAccessService {
                 opus.markDirty('featureLists')
             }
             opus.featureLists.addAll(json.featureLists)
+        } else {
+            opus.featureLists.removeAll(opus.featureLists)
         }
         opus.featureListSectionName = json.featureListSectionName ? json.featureListSectionName : null;
 
diff --git a/src/integration-test/groovy/au/org/ala/profile/OpusServiceSpec.groovy b/src/integration-test/groovy/au/org/ala/profile/OpusServiceSpec.groovy
index fd1aa55..0f88beb 100644
--- a/src/integration-test/groovy/au/org/ala/profile/OpusServiceSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/integration-test/groovy/au/org/ala/profile/OpusServiceSpec.groovy
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import au.org.ala.web.UserDetails
 import grails.gorm.transactions.Rollback
 import grails.gsp.PageRenderer
 import grails.testing.mixin.integration.Integration
+import net.sf.json.JSONObject
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired
 import org.springframework.web.multipart.commons.CommonsMultipartFile
 
@@ -271,4 +272,92 @@ class OpusServiceSpec extends BaseIntegrationSpec {
         1 * service.attachmentService.saveAttachment(_, _, _, _, _)
         0 * service.attachmentService.deleteAttachment(_, _, _, _)
     }
-}
+
+    def "update opus for approved lists"() {
+        given:
+        Opus opus1 = new Opus(title: "opus1", dataResourceUid: "123", glossary: new Glossary(), approvedLists: ["dr123", "dr345"])
+
+        def opus2 = [
+                title         : "opus1",
+                dataResourceUid      : "123",
+                approvedLists        : ["dr123"],
+        ]
+
+
+        JSONObject json1 = new JSONObject(opus2)
+        save opus1
+
+        when:
+        Opus updateOpus = service.updateOpus(opus1.uuid, json1)
+
+        then:
+        updateOpus.approvedLists.size() == json1.approvedLists.size()
+    }
+
+    def "update opus for featured lists"() {
+        given:
+        Opus opus1 = new Opus(title: "opus1", dataResourceUid: "123", glossary: new Glossary(), featureLists: ["dr123", "dr345", "dr678"])
+
+        def opus2 = [
+                title         : "opus1",
+                dataResourceUid      : "123",
+                featureLists        : ["dr345"],
+        ]
+
+
+        JSONObject json1 = new JSONObject(opus2)
+        save opus1
+
+        when:
+        Opus updateOpus = service.updateOpus(opus1.uuid, json1)
+
+        then:
+        updateOpus.featureLists.size() == json1.featureLists.size()
+    }
+
+    def "update opus for approved lists and feature lists"() {
+        given:
+        Opus opus1 = new Opus(title: "opus1", dataResourceUid: "123", glossary: new Glossary(), approvedLists: ["dr123", "dr345"], featureLists: ["fl123","fl456","fl789"])
+
+        def opus2 = [
+                title         : "opus1",
+                dataResourceUid      : "123",
+                approvedLists        : ["dr123"],
+                featureLists         : ["fl123", "fl456"]
+         ]
+
+
+        JSONObject json1 = new JSONObject(opus2)
+        save opus1
+
+        when:
+        Opus updateOpus = service.updateOpus(opus1.uuid, json1)
+
+        then:
+        updateOpus.approvedLists.size() == json1.approvedLists.size()
+        updateOpus.featureLists.size() == json1.featureLists.size()
+    }
+
+    def "update opus for approved lists and feature lists are empty"() {
+        given:
+        Opus opus1 = new Opus(title: "opus1", dataResourceUid: "123", glossary: new Glossary(), approvedLists: [], featureLists: [])
+
+        def opus2 = [
+                title         : "opus1",
+                dataResourceUid      : "123",
+                approvedLists        : [],
+                featureLists         : []
+        ]
+
+
+        JSONObject json1 = new JSONObject(opus2)
+        save opus1
+
+        when:
+        Opus updateOpus = service.updateOpus(opus1.uuid, json1)
+
+        then:
+        updateOpus.approvedLists.size() == json1.approvedLists.size()
+        updateOpus.featureLists.size() == json1.featureLists.size()
+    }
+}
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