@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ def update
       raise NotFound, "Cannot load environment #{params[:id]}"
     end
 
-    env.description(params["inflated_object"].description)
-    env.cookbook_versions(params["inflated_object"].cookbook_versions)
+    env.update_from!(params["inflated_object"])
     env.cdb_save
     env.couchdb_rev = nil
     self.status = 200
@@ -87,4 +86,4 @@ def destroy
 
   private
 
-end
+end
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@ def to_json(*a)
       to_hash.to_json(*a)
     end
 
+    def update_from!(o)
+      description(o.description)
+      cookbook_versions(o.cookbook_versions)
+      self
+    end
+
     def self.json_create(o)
       environment = new
       environment.name(o["name"])
 
@@ -110,6 +110,26 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "update_from!" do
+    before(:each) do
+      @environment.name("prod")
+      @environment.description("this is prod")
+      @environment.cookbook_versions({ "apt" => "1.2.3" })
+
+      @example = Chef::Environment.new
+      @example.name("notevenprod")
+      @example.description("this is pre-prod")
+      @example.cookbook_versions({ "apt" => "2.3.4" })
+    end
+
+    it "should update everything but name" do
+      @environment.update_from!(@example)
+      @environment.name.should == "prod"
+      @environment.description.should == @example.description
+      @environment.cookbook_versions.should == @example.cookbook_versions
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "to_hash" do
     before(:each) do
       @environment.name("spec")
@@ -219,4 +239,4 @@
       Chef::Environment.validate_cookbook_version(Chef::CookbookVersion.new("meta")).should == false
     end
   end
-end
+end