diff --git a/src/millipds/service.py b/src/millipds/service.py
index c8566a2..5c28f91 100644
--- a/src/millipds/service.py
+++ b/src/millipds/service.py
@@ -379,9 +379,13 @@ async def identity_update_handle(request: web.Request):
 	handle = req_json.get("handle")
 	if handle is None:
 		raise web.HTTPBadRequest(text="missing or invalid handle")
-	# TODO: actually validate it, and update the db!!!
+	# TODO: actually validate it
 	# (I'm writing this half-baked version just so I can send firehose #identity events)
 	with get_db(request).new_con() as con:
+		con.execute(
+			"UPDATE user SET handle = ? WHERE did = ?",
+			(handle, request["authed_did"]),
+		)
 		# TODO: refactor to avoid duplicated logic between here and apply_writes
 		firehose_seq = con.execute(
 			"SELECT IFNULL(MAX(seq), 0) + 1 FROM firehose"
diff --git a/tests/integration_test.py b/tests/integration_test.py
index 49f0648..9518947 100644
--- a/tests/integration_test.py
+++ b/tests/integration_test.py
@@ -493,3 +493,19 @@ async def test_deleteSession(s, pds_host):
 		headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + refresh_token},
 	) as r:
 		assert r.status != 200
+
+async def test_updateHandle(s, pds_host, auth_headers):
+	async with s.post(
+		pds_host + "/xrpc/com.atproto.identity.updateHandle",
+		headers=auth_headers,
+		json={ "handle": "juliet.test" },
+	) as r:
+		assert r.status == 200
+
+	async with s.get(
+		pds_host + "/xrpc/com.atproto.repo.describeRepo",
+		params={ "repo":  TEST_DID },
+	) as r:
+		assert r.status == 200
+		r = await r.json()
+		assert r["handle"] == "juliet.test"