diff --git a/intg/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/model/instance/AtlasEntityHeader.java b/intg/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/model/instance/AtlasEntityHeader.java
index 13820f5255..c628451c2c 100644
--- a/intg/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/model/instance/AtlasEntityHeader.java
+++ b/intg/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/model/instance/AtlasEntityHeader.java
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ public class AtlasEntityHeader extends AtlasStruct implements Serializable {
     private String                          displayText         = null;
     private List<String>                    classificationNames = null;
     private List<AtlasClassification>       classifications     = null;
+    private List<AtlasClassification>       appendClassifications     = null;
+
+
+    private List<AtlasClassification>       updateClassifications     = null;
+    private List<AtlasClassification>       removeClassifications     = null;
     private List<String>                    meaningNames        = null;
     private List<AtlasTermAssignmentHeader> meanings            = null;
     private Boolean                         isIncomplete        = Boolean.FALSE;
@@ -101,6 +106,29 @@ public AtlasEntityHeader(String typeName, Map<String, Object> attributes) {
         setLabels(null);
     }
 
+    public List<AtlasClassification> getAppendClassifications() {
+        return appendClassifications;
+    }
+
+    public void setAppendClassifications(List<AtlasClassification> appendClassifications) {
+        this.appendClassifications = appendClassifications;
+    }
+
+    public List<AtlasClassification> getUpdateClassifications() {
+        return updateClassifications;
+    }
+
+    public void setUpdateClassifications(List<AtlasClassification> updateClassifications) {
+        this.updateClassifications = updateClassifications;
+    }
+
+    public List<AtlasClassification> getRemoveClassifications() {
+        return removeClassifications;
+    }
+
+    public void setRemoveClassifications(List<AtlasClassification> removeClassifications) {
+        this.removeClassifications = removeClassifications;
+    }
 
     public AtlasEntityHeader(String typeName, String guid, Map<String, Object> attributes) {
         super(typeName, attributes);
diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v2/ClassificationAssociator.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v2/ClassificationAssociator.java
index 6cd9ac4e4b..732fabb120 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v2/ClassificationAssociator.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v2/ClassificationAssociator.java
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
 import static org.apache.atlas.AtlasConfiguration.ENTITY_CHANGE_NOTIFY_IGNORE_RELATIONSHIP_ATTRIBUTES;
 
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ public Updater(AtlasTypeRegistry typeRegistry, AtlasEntityStore entitiesStore,
             this(AtlasGraphProvider.getGraphInstance(), typeRegistry, entitiesStore, entityGraphMapper, entityChangeNotifier, instanceConverter);
         }
 
-        public void setClassifications(Map<String, AtlasEntityHeader> map) throws AtlasBaseException {
+        public void setClassifications(Map<String, AtlasEntityHeader> map, boolean overrideClassifications) throws AtlasBaseException {
             RequestContext.get().setDelayTagNotifications(true);
 
             for (String guid  : map.keySet()) {
@@ -178,8 +179,12 @@ public void setClassifications(Map<String, AtlasEntityHeader> map) throws AtlasB
                 if (entityToBeChanged == null) {
                     throw new AtlasBaseException(AtlasErrorCode.INSTANCE_GUID_NOT_FOUND, guid);
                 }
-
-                Map<String, List<AtlasClassification>> operationListMap = computeChanges(incomingEntityHeader, entityToBeChanged);
+                Map<String, List<AtlasClassification>> operationListMap = new HashMap<>();
+                if(overrideClassifications) {
+                    operationListMap = computeChanges(incomingEntityHeader, entityToBeChanged);
+                } else {
+                    operationListMap = validateAndTransfer(incomingEntityHeader, entityToBeChanged);
+                }
                 try {
                     commitChanges(guid, typeName, operationListMap);
                 } catch (AtlasBaseException e) {
@@ -236,6 +241,44 @@ public void setClassifications(Map<String, AtlasEntityHeader> map) throws AtlasB
             RequestContext.get().setDelayTagNotifications(false);
         }
 
+        private Map<String, List<AtlasClassification>> validateAndTransfer(AtlasEntityHeader incomingEntityHeader, AtlasEntityHeader entityToBeChanged) throws AtlasBaseException {
+            Map<String, List<AtlasClassification>> operationListMap = new HashMap<>();
+
+            Set<String> requiredClassificationKeys = Stream.concat(
+                            incomingEntityHeader.getRemoveClassifications().stream(),
+                            incomingEntityHeader.getUpdateClassifications().stream()
+                    ).map(this::generateClassificationComparisonKey)
+                    .collect(Collectors.toSet());
+
+            Set<String> preExistingClassificationKeys = entityToBeChanged.getClassifications()
+                    .stream()
+                    .map(this::generateClassificationComparisonKey)
+                    .collect(Collectors.toSet());
+
+            Set<String> diff = requiredClassificationKeys.stream()
+                    .filter(key -> !preExistingClassificationKeys.contains(key))
+                    .collect(Collectors.toSet());
+
+            if (!diff.isEmpty()) {
+                String firstTypeName = diff.iterator().next().split("\\|")[1];
+                throw new AtlasBaseException(AtlasErrorCode.CLASSIFICATION_NOT_ASSOCIATED_WITH_ENTITY, firstTypeName);
+            }
+
+            List<AtlasClassification> filteredClassifications = incomingEntityHeader.getAppendClassifications()
+                    .stream()
+                    .filter(appendClassification -> !preExistingClassificationKeys.contains(generateClassificationComparisonKey(appendClassification)))
+                    .collect(Collectors.toList());
+
+            bucket(PROCESS_DELETE, operationListMap, incomingEntityHeader.getRemoveClassifications());
+            bucket(PROCESS_UPDATE, operationListMap, incomingEntityHeader.getUpdateClassifications());
+            bucket(PROCESS_ADD, operationListMap, filteredClassifications);
+            return operationListMap;
+        }
+
+        private String generateClassificationComparisonKey(AtlasClassification classification) {
+            return classification.getEntityGuid() + "|" + classification.getTypeName();
+        }
+
         private void commitChanges(String entityGuid, String typeName, Map<String, List<AtlasClassification>> operationListMap) throws AtlasBaseException {
             if (MapUtils.isEmpty(operationListMap)) {
                 return;
diff --git a/webapp/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/web/rest/EntityREST.java b/webapp/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/web/rest/EntityREST.java
index 5333d63e7b..fc214fea3c 100644
--- a/webapp/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/web/rest/EntityREST.java
+++ b/webapp/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/web/rest/EntityREST.java
@@ -1265,7 +1265,7 @@ public AtlasEntityHeaders getEntityHeaders(@QueryParam("tagUpdateStartTime") lon
     @Produces(Servlets.JSON_MEDIA_TYPE)
     @Consumes(Servlets.JSON_MEDIA_TYPE)
     @Timed
-    public void setClassifications(AtlasEntityHeaders entityHeaders) throws AtlasBaseException {
+    public void setClassifications(AtlasEntityHeaders entityHeaders, @QueryParam("overrideClassifications") @DefaultValue("true") boolean overrideClassifications) throws AtlasBaseException {
         AtlasPerfTracer perf = null;
 
         try {
@@ -1274,7 +1274,7 @@ public void setClassifications(AtlasEntityHeaders entityHeaders) throws AtlasBas
             }
 
             ClassificationAssociator.Updater associator = new ClassificationAssociator.Updater(typeRegistry, entitiesStore, entityGraphMapper, entityChangeNotifier, instanceConverter);
-            associator.setClassifications(entityHeaders.getGuidHeaderMap());
+            associator.setClassifications(entityHeaders.getGuidHeaderMap(), overrideClassifications);
         } finally {
             AtlasPerfTracer.log(perf);
         }