diff --git a/R/bnecfit-methods.R b/R/bnecfit-methods.R
index 2fd463ff..aea729b2 100644
--- a/R/bnecfit-methods.R
+++ b/R/bnecfit-methods.R
@@ -43,3 +43,104 @@ c.bnecfit <- function(x, ...) {
   }
   c(e1, e2)
 }
+
+#' Update an object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}} as fitted by function
+#' \code{\link{bnec}}.
+#'
+#' @inheritParams bnec
+#'
+#' @param object An object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}} as fitted by function
+#' \code{\link{bnec}}.
+#' @param newdata Optional \code{\link[base]{data.frame}} to update the model
+#' with new data. Data-dependent default priors will not be updated
+#' automatically.
+#' @param recompile A \code{\link[base]{logical}}, indicating whether the Stan
+#' model should be recompiled. If \code{NULL} (the default), \code{update}
+#' tries to figure out internally, if recompilation is necessary. Setting it to
+#' \code{FALSE} will cause all Stan code changing arguments to be ignored.
+#' @param force_fit Should model truly be updated in case either
+#' \code{newdata} of a new family is provided?
+#'
+#' @return An object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}}. If one single model is
+#' returned, then also an object of class \code{\link{bayesnecfit}}; otherwise,
+#' if multiple models are returned, also an object of class
+#' \code{\link{bayesmanecfit}}.
+#'
+#' @importFrom stats update
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' \dontrun{
+#' library(bayesnec)
+#' data(manec_example)
+#' # due to package size issues, `manec_example` does not contain original
+#' # stanfit DSO, so need to recompile here
+#' smaller_manec <- update(manec_example, chains = 1, iter = 50,
+#'                         recompile = TRUE)
+#' # original `manec_example` is fit with a Gaussian
+#' # change to Beta distribution by adding newdata with original `nec_data$y`
+#' # function will throw informative message.
+#' beta_manec <- update(manec_example, newdata = nec_data, recompile = TRUE,
+#'                      chains = 1, iter = 50, family = Beta(link = "identity"),
+#'                      force_fit = TRUE)
+#' }
+#'
+#' @export
+update.bnecfit <- function(object, newdata = NULL, recompile = NULL,
+                           x_range = NA, precision = 1000, sig_val = 0.01,
+                           loo_controls, force_fit = FALSE, ...) {
+  original_class <- grep("bayes", class(object), value = TRUE)
+  if (!original_class %in% c("bayesnecfit", "bayesmanecfit")) {
+    stop("Object is not of class bayesnecfit or bayesmanecfit.")
+  }
+  object <- recover_prebayesnecfit(object)
+  dot_args <- list(...)
+  if (!is.null(newdata) || "family" %in% names(dot_args)) {
+    data_to_check <- if (is.null(newdata)) object[[1]]$fit$data else newdata
+    changed_family <- has_family_changed(object, data_to_check, dot_args$family)
+  } else {
+    changed_family <- FALSE
+  }
+  if (changed_family) {
+    if (!force_fit) {
+      stop("You either input new data which might be best fitted with a\n",
+           "  different distribution, or you indicated a new family/link.\n",
+           "Either change might require different priors than originally\n",
+           "  defined. If this was intentional, set `force_fit = TRUE`;\n",
+           "  otherwise please use function `bnec` instead to redefine priors.",
+           call. = FALSE)
+    } else {
+      message("You either input new data which might be best fitted with a\n",
+              "  different distribution, or you indicated a new family/link.\n",
+              "Either change might require different priors than originally\n",
+              "  defined. You may want to consider refitting models from\n",
+              "  scratch via function `bnec`.")
+    }
+  }
+  for (i in seq_along(object)) {
+    object[[i]]$fit <- try(update(object[[i]]$fit, formula. = NULL,
+                                  newdata = newdata, recompile = recompile,
+                                  ...), silent = FALSE)
+    if (inherits(object[[i]]$fit, "try-error")) {
+      class(object[[i]]) <- "somethingwentwrong"
+    }
+  }
+  formulas <- lapply(object, extract_formula)
+  if (length(object) > 1) {
+    object <- expand_manec(object, formula = formulas, x_range = x_range,
+                           precision = precision, sig_val = sig_val,
+                           loo_controls = loo_controls)
+    allot_class(object, c("bayesmanecfit", "bnecfit"))
+  } else if (length(object) == 1) {
+    if (inherits(object[[1]], "somethingwentwrong")) {
+      stop("Your attempt to update the original model(s) failed. Perhaps you",
+           " specified incorrect arguments? See ?update.bnecfit")
+    }
+    mod_fits <- expand_nec(object[[1]], formula = formulas[[1]],
+                           x_range = x_range, precision = precision,
+                           sig_val = sig_val, loo_controls = loo_controls,
+                           model = names(object))
+    allot_class(mod_fits, c("bayesnecfit", "bnecfit"))
+  } else {
+    stop("Stan failed to update your objects.")
+  }
+}
diff --git a/R/helpers.R b/R/helpers.R
index d6a8cfc4..ec6a3090 100644
--- a/R/helpers.R
+++ b/R/helpers.R
@@ -503,3 +503,24 @@ extract_formula <- function(x) {
     out
   }
 }
+
+#' @noRd
+#' @importFrom stats model.frame
+has_family_changed <- function(x, data, ...) {
+  brm_args <- list(...)
+  for (i in seq_along(x)) {
+    formula <- extract_formula(x[[i]])
+    bdat <- model.frame(formula, data = data, run_par_checks = TRUE)
+    model <- get_model_from_formula(formula)
+    family <- retrieve_valid_family(brm_args, bdat)
+    model <- check_models(model, family, bdat)
+    checked_df <- check_data(data = bdat, family = family, model = model)
+  }
+  out <- all.equal(checked_df$family, x[[1]]$fit$family,
+                   check.attributes = FALSE, check.environment = FALSE)
+  if (is.logical(out)) {
+    FALSE
+  } else {
+    TRUE
+  }
+}
diff --git a/man/update.bnecfit.Rd b/man/update.bnecfit.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e3273b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/update.bnecfit.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/bnecfit-methods.R
+\name{update.bnecfit}
+\alias{update.bnecfit}
+\title{Update an object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}} as fitted by function
+\code{\link{bnec}}.}
+\usage{
+\method{update}{bnecfit}(
+  object,
+  newdata = NULL,
+  recompile = NULL,
+  x_range = NA,
+  precision = 1000,
+  sig_val = 0.01,
+  loo_controls,
+  force_fit = FALSE,
+  ...
+)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{object}{An object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}} as fitted by function
+\code{\link{bnec}}.}
+
+\item{newdata}{Optional \code{\link[base]{data.frame}} to update the model
+with new data. Data-dependent default priors will not be updated
+automatically.}
+
+\item{recompile}{A \code{\link[base]{logical}}, indicating whether the Stan
+model should be recompiled. If \code{NULL} (the default), \code{update}
+tries to figure out internally, if recompilation is necessary. Setting it to
+\code{FALSE} will cause all Stan code changing arguments to be ignored.}
+
+\item{x_range}{A range of predictor values over which to consider extracting
+ECx.}
+
+\item{precision}{The length of the predictor vector used for posterior
+predictions, and over which to extract ECx values. Large values will be
+slower but more precise.}
+
+\item{sig_val}{Probability value to use as the lower quantile to test
+significance of the predicted posterior values against the lowest observed
+concentration (assumed to be the control), to estimate NEC as an
+interpolated NOEC value from smooth ECx curves.}
+
+\item{loo_controls}{A named \code{\link[base]{list}} of two elements
+("fitting" and/or "weights"), each being a named \code{\link[base]{list}}
+containing the desired arguments to be passed on to \code{\link[brms]{loo}}
+(via "fitting") or to \code{\link[loo]{loo_model_weights}} (via "weights").
+If "fitting" is provided with argument \code{pointwise = TRUE}
+(due to memory issues) and \code{family = "beta_binomial2"}, the
+\code{\link{bnec}} will fail because that is a custom family. If "weights" is
+not provided by the user, \code{\link{bnec}} will set the default
+\code{method} argument in \code{\link[loo]{loo_model_weights}} to
+"pseudobma". See ?\code{\link[loo]{loo_model_weights}} for further info.}
+
+\item{force_fit}{Should model truly be updated in case either
+\code{newdata} of a new family is provided?}
+
+\item{...}{Further arguments to \code{\link[brms]{brm}}.}
+}
+\value{
+An object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}}. If one single model is
+returned, then also an object of class \code{\link{bayesnecfit}}; otherwise,
+if multiple models are returned, also an object of class
+\code{\link{bayesmanecfit}}.
+}
+\description{
+Update an object of class \code{\link{bnecfit}} as fitted by function
+\code{\link{bnec}}.
+}
+\examples{
+\dontrun{
+library(bayesnec)
+data(manec_example)
+# due to package size issues, `manec_example` does not contain original
+# stanfit DSO, so need to recompile here
+smaller_manec <- update(manec_example, chains = 1, iter = 50,
+                        recompile = TRUE)
+# original `manec_example` is fit with a Gaussian
+# change to Beta distribution by adding newdata with original `nec_data$y`
+# function will throw informative message.
+beta_manec <- update(manec_example, newdata = nec_data, recompile = TRUE,
+                     chains = 1, iter = 50, family = Beta(link = "identity"),
+                     force_fit = TRUE)
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-bnecfit.R b/tests/testthat/test-bnecfit.R
index 6f88c7fe..8b255732 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-bnecfit.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-bnecfit.R
@@ -67,3 +67,27 @@ test_that("Concatenating only works if either if bnecfit", {
     expect_warning %>%
     expect_warning
 })
+
+test_that("Update works with regular fitting arguments", {
+  expect_s3_class(update(nec_, chains = 1, iter = 50, recompile = TRUE,
+                         refresh = 0, verbose = FALSE), "bnecfit") %>%
+    suppressWarnings %>%
+    suppressMessages
+  # no recompilation
+  expect_error(update(manec_example, chains = 1, iter = 50))
+})
+
+test_that("Different distribution triggers error or message", {
+  expect_error(update(manec_example, newdata = nec_data, recompile = TRUE,
+                      chains = 1, iter = 50, family = Beta(link = "identity")),
+               "You either input new")
+  expect_error(update(manec_example, newdata = nec_data, recompile = TRUE,
+                      chains = 1, iter = 50), "You either input new")
+  expect_error(update(manec_example, recompile = TRUE, chains = 1, iter = 50,
+                      family = Beta(link = "identity")), "You either input new")
+  expect_message(update(manec_example, newdata = nec_data, recompile = TRUE,
+                        chains = 1, iter = 50, family = Beta(link = "identity"),
+                        force_fit = TRUE, refresh = 0, verbose = FALSE)) %>%
+    suppressWarnings %>%
+    suppressMessages
+})