diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/transform/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/transform/action/TransportUpdateTransformAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/transform/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/transform/action/TransportUpdateTransformAction.java
index 62db81bd68e01..7030bef17c4a6 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/transform/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/transform/action/TransportUpdateTransformAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/transform/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/transform/action/TransportUpdateTransformAction.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.message.ParameterizedMessage;
+import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchException;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionListener;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionListenerResponseHandler;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import static org.elasticsearch.core.Strings.format;
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.transform.utils.SecondaryAuthorizationUtils.useSecondaryAuthIfAvailable;
 
 public class TransportUpdateTransformAction extends TransportTasksAction<TransformTask, Request, Response, Response> {
@@ -169,9 +171,35 @@ protected void doExecute(Task task, Request request, ActionListener<Response> li
                                     && ((TransformState) transformTask.getState()).getTaskState() != TransformTaskState.FAILED
                                     && clusterState.nodes().get(transformTask.getExecutorNode()).getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_8_0)) {
 
+                                    ActionListener<Response> taskUpdateListener = ActionListener.wrap(listener::onResponse, e -> {
+                                        // benign: A transform might be stopped meanwhile, this is not a problem
+                                        if (e instanceof TransformTaskDisappearedDuringUpdateException) {
+                                            logger.debug("[{}] transform task disappeared during update, ignoring", request.getId());
+                                            listener.onResponse(new Response(updatedConfig));
+                                            return;
+                                        }
+
+                                        if (e instanceof TransformTaskUpdateException) {
+                                            // BWC: only log a warning as response object can not be changed
+                                            logger.warn(
+                                                () -> format(
+                                                    "[%s] failed to notify running transform task about update. "
+                                                        + "New settings will be applied after next checkpoint.",
+                                                    request.getId()
+                                                ),
+                                                e
+                                            );
+
+                                            listener.onResponse(new Response(updatedConfig));
+                                            return;
+                                        }
+
+                                        listener.onFailure(e);
+                                    });
+
                                     request.setNodes(transformTask.getExecutorNode());
                                     request.setConfig(updatedConfig);
-                                    super.doExecute(task, request, listener);
+                                    super.doExecute(task, request, taskUpdateListener);
                                     return;
                                 }
                             }
@@ -208,8 +236,29 @@ protected Response newResponse(
         List<TaskOperationFailure> taskOperationFailures,
         List<FailedNodeException> failedNodeExceptions
     ) {
-        // there should be only 1 response, todo: check
+        if (tasks.isEmpty()) {
+            if (taskOperationFailures.isEmpty() == false) {
+                throw new TransformTaskUpdateException("Failed to update running transform task.", taskOperationFailures.get(0).getCause());
+            } else if (failedNodeExceptions.isEmpty() == false) {
+                throw new TransformTaskUpdateException("Failed to update running transform task.", failedNodeExceptions.get(0));
+            } else {
+                throw new TransformTaskDisappearedDuringUpdateException("Could not update running transform as it has been stopped.");
+            }
+        }
+
         return tasks.get(0);
     }
 
+    private static class TransformTaskUpdateException extends ElasticsearchException {
+        TransformTaskUpdateException(String msg, Throwable cause, Object... args) {
+            super(msg, cause, args);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static class TransformTaskDisappearedDuringUpdateException extends ElasticsearchException {
+        TransformTaskDisappearedDuringUpdateException(String msg) {
+            super(msg);
+        }
+    }
+
 }