diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/SimpleR2dbcRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/SimpleR2dbcRepository.java
index 55fe9b4d2..55c668ca4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/SimpleR2dbcRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/SimpleR2dbcRepository.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.r2dbc.repository.support;
 
-import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
 
@@ -24,6 +23,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.reactivestreams.Publisher;
 
+import org.springframework.dao.TransientDataAccessResourceException;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.convert.R2dbcConverter;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.core.DatabaseClient;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.core.PreparedOperation;
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.relational.core.sql.Table;
 import org.springframework.data.relational.core.sql.render.SqlRenderer;
 import org.springframework.data.relational.repository.query.RelationalEntityInformation;
 import org.springframework.data.repository.reactive.ReactiveCrudRepository;
+import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
@@ -83,8 +84,16 @@ public class SimpleR2dbcRepository<T, ID> implements ReactiveCrudRepository<T, I
 		return this.databaseClient.update() //
 				.table(this.entity.getJavaType()) //
 				.table(this.entity.getTableName()).using(objectToSave) //
-				.then() //
-				.thenReturn(objectToSave);
+				.fetch().rowsUpdated().handle((rowsUpdated, sink) -> {
+
+					if (rowsUpdated == 0) {
+						sink.error(new TransientDataAccessResourceException(
+								String.format("Failed to update table [%s]. Row with Id [%s] does not exist.",
+										this.entity.getTableName(), this.entity.getId(objectToSave))));
+					} else {
+						sink.next(objectToSave);
+					}
+				});
 	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/H2SimpleR2dbcRepositoryIntegrationTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/H2SimpleR2dbcRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
index 8536936f5..82b5a0f39 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/H2SimpleR2dbcRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/repository/support/H2SimpleR2dbcRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessException;
+import org.springframework.dao.TransientDataAccessException;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.config.AbstractR2dbcConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.testing.H2TestSupport;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
@@ -82,4 +83,18 @@ public class H2SimpleR2dbcRepositoryIntegrationTests extends AbstractSimpleR2dbc
 		Map<String, Object> map = jdbc.queryForMap("SELECT * FROM legoset");
 		assertThat(map).containsEntry("name", "SCHAUFELRADBAGGER").containsEntry("manual", 12).containsKey("id");
 	}
+
+	@Test // gh-232
+	public void updateShouldFailIfRowDoesNotExist() {
+
+		LegoSet legoSet = new LegoSet(9999, "SCHAUFELRADBAGGER", 12);
+
+		repository.save(legoSet) //
+				.as(StepVerifier::create) //
+				.verifyErrorSatisfies(actual -> {
+
+					assertThat(actual).isInstanceOf(TransientDataAccessException.class)
+							.hasMessage("Failed to update table [legoset]. Row with Id [9999] does not exist.");
+				});
+	}
 }