diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
index 35db96806..89c9e8abe 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ def content_types_provided
         end
 
         def content_types_accepted
-          [["application/json", :from_json]]
+          [
+            ["application/json", :from_json],
+            ["application/merge-patch+json", :from_merge_patch_json]
+          ]
         end
 
         def allowed_methods
@@ -44,6 +47,14 @@ def from_json
           response.body = to_json
         end
 
+        def from_merge_patch_json
+          if request.patch?
+            from_json
+          else
+            415
+          end
+        end
+
         def resource_exists?
           !!pacticipant
         end
diff --git a/spec/features/update_pacticipant_spec.rb b/spec/features/update_pacticipant_spec.rb
index 3a0be53ea..8eb2a37f1 100644
--- a/spec/features/update_pacticipant_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/update_pacticipant_spec.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@
     context "when the pacticipant does not exist" do
       it { is_expected.to be_a_404_response }
     end
+
+    context "with application/merge-patch+json" do
+      subject { put(path, request_body.to_json, {'CONTENT_TYPE' => 'application/merge-patch+json' })  }
+
+      its(:status) { is_expected.to eq 415 }
+    end
+
   end
 
   context "with a PATCH" do
@@ -66,5 +73,26 @@
         expect(subject.headers['Content-Type']).to eq "application/hal+json;charset=utf-8"
       end
     end
+
+    context "with application/merge-patch+json" do
+      before do
+        td.create_pacticipant("Some Consumer", repository_name: "existing")
+      end
+
+      subject { patch(path, request_body.to_json, {'CONTENT_TYPE' => 'application/merge-patch+json' })  }
+
+      it "returns a 200 OK" do
+        puts subject.body unless subject.status == 200
+        expect(subject.status).to be 200
+      end
+
+      it "leaves any existing properties that were not defined" do
+        expect(response_body_hash[:repositoryName]).to eq "existing"
+      end
+
+      it "returns a json body with the updated pacticipant" do
+        expect(subject.headers['Content-Type']).to eq "application/hal+json;charset=utf-8"
+      end
+    end
   end
 end