diff --git a/src/project/projectService.ts b/src/project/projectService.ts
index 4d8909fa..496a9449 100644
--- a/src/project/projectService.ts
+++ b/src/project/projectService.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import * as terrasoApi from 'terraso-client-shared/terrasoApi/api';
 import {
   collapseConnectionEdges,
   collapseFields,
+  UpdateArg,
+  updateArgToInput,
 } from 'terraso-client-shared/terrasoApi/utils';
 
 const collapseProjectFields = collapseFields<ProjectDataFragment, Project>({
@@ -91,7 +93,9 @@ export const addProject = (project: ProjectAddMutationInput) => {
     .then(resp => collapseProjectFields(resp.addProject.project));
 };
 
-export const updateProject = (project: ProjectUpdateMutationInput) => {
+export const updateProject = (
+  update: UpdateArg<'id', ProjectUpdateMutationInput>,
+) => {
   const query = graphql(`
     mutation updateProject($input: ProjectUpdateMutationInput!) {
       updateProject(input: $input) {
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@ export const updateProject = (project: ProjectUpdateMutationInput) => {
   `);
 
   return terrasoApi
-    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: project })
+    .requestGraphQL(query, updateArgToInput('id', update))
     .then(resp => collapseProjectFields(resp.updateProject.project!));
 };
 
@@ -112,12 +116,15 @@ export const deleteProject = (project: ProjectDeleteMutationInput) => {
   const query = graphql(`
     mutation deleteProject($input: ProjectDeleteMutationInput!) {
       deleteProject(input: $input) {
+        project {
+          id
+        }
         errors
       }
     }
   `);
 
   return terrasoApi
-    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: { id: project.id } })
-    .then(_ => project.id);
+    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: project })
+    .then(({ deleteProject: { project } }) => project.id);
 };
diff --git a/src/site/siteService.ts b/src/site/siteService.ts
index 875b9ba0..0f8a2ba8 100644
--- a/src/site/siteService.ts
+++ b/src/site/siteService.ts
@@ -20,11 +20,16 @@ import { graphql } from 'terraso-client-shared/graphqlSchema';
 import type {
   SiteAddMutationInput,
   SiteDataFragment,
+  SiteDeleteMutationInput,
   SiteUpdateMutationInput,
 } from 'terraso-client-shared/graphqlSchema/graphql';
 import type { Site } from 'terraso-client-shared/site/siteSlice';
 import * as terrasoApi from 'terraso-client-shared/terrasoApi/api';
-import { collapseConnectionEdges } from 'terraso-client-shared/terrasoApi/utils';
+import {
+  collapseConnectionEdges,
+  UpdateArg,
+  updateArgToInput,
+} from 'terraso-client-shared/terrasoApi/utils';
 
 const collapseSiteFields = (site: SiteDataFragment): Site => {
   const { project, owner, ...rest } = site;
@@ -117,7 +122,9 @@ export const addSite = (site: SiteAddMutationInput) => {
     .then(resp => collapseSiteFields(resp.addSite.site));
 };
 
-export const updateSite = (site: SiteUpdateMutationInput) => {
+export const updateSite = (
+  update: UpdateArg<'id', SiteUpdateMutationInput>,
+) => {
   const query = graphql(`
     mutation updateSite($input: SiteUpdateMutationInput!) {
       updateSite(input: $input) {
@@ -130,20 +137,23 @@ export const updateSite = (site: SiteUpdateMutationInput) => {
   `);
 
   return terrasoApi
-    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: site })
+    .requestGraphQL(query, updateArgToInput('id', update))
     .then(resp => collapseSiteFields(resp.updateSite.site!));
 };
 
-export const deleteSite = (site: Site) => {
+export const deleteSite = (site: SiteDeleteMutationInput) => {
   const query = graphql(`
     mutation deleteSite($input: SiteDeleteMutationInput!) {
       deleteSite(input: $input) {
+        site {
+          id
+        }
         errors
       }
     }
   `);
 
   return terrasoApi
-    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: { id: site.id } })
-    .then(_ => site.id);
+    .requestGraphQL(query, { input: site })
+    .then(({ deleteSite: { site } }) => site.id);
 };
diff --git a/src/terrasoApi/utils.ts b/src/terrasoApi/utils.ts
index 5170b665..f4b82d3a 100644
--- a/src/terrasoApi/utils.ts
+++ b/src/terrasoApi/utils.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,31 @@
  * along with this program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
  */
 
+export type UpdateArg<ID extends string, T extends Record<ID, any>> = {
+  [K in ID]: T[K];
+} & {
+  update: Omit<T, ID>;
+};
+
+export const updateArgToInput = <ID extends string, T extends Record<ID, any>>(
+  idField: ID,
+  { [idField]: id, update }: UpdateArg<ID, T>,
+) => {
+  if (idField in update) {
+    throw Error(`
+      update arguments should not contain IDs! 
+      are you accidentally passing the entire model object into the 
+      update arg instead of just the fields you need to update?
+    `);
+  }
+  return {
+    input: {
+      ...({ [idField]: id } as unknown as { [K in ID]: T[K] }),
+      ...update,
+    },
+  };
+};
+
 export const collapseConnectionEdges = <T>(connection: {
   edges: { node: T }[];
 }): T[] => {