diff --git a/db/db-core/src/lib.rs b/db/db-core/src/lib.rs
index 5447e648..0ec37061 100644
--- a/db/db-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/db/db-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ pub trait MCDatabase: std::marker::Send + std::marker::Sync + CloneSPDatabase {
 
     /// get a user's secret
     async fn get_secret(&self, username: &str) -> DBResult<Secret>;
+
+    /// update a user's secret
+    async fn update_secret(&self, username: &str, secret: &str) -> DBResult<()>;
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
diff --git a/db/db-core/src/tests.rs b/db/db-core/src/tests.rs
index a45f728e..3ef9548d 100644
--- a/db/db-core/src/tests.rs
+++ b/db/db-core/src/tests.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ pub async fn database_works<'a, T: MCDatabase>(db: &T, p: &Register<'a>) {
     let secret = db.get_secret(&p.username).await.unwrap();
     assert_eq!(secret.secret, p.secret, "user secret matches");
 
+    // testing update secret: setting secret = username
+    db.update_secret(p.username, p.username).await.unwrap();
+    let secret = db.get_secret(&p.username).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        secret.secret, p.username,
+        "user secret matches username; as set by previous step"
+    );
+
     // testing get_password
 
     // with username