diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/DeleteInterface.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/DeleteInterface.java
index 669967d2..43781917 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/DeleteInterface.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/DeleteInterface.java
@@ -50,4 +50,13 @@ public interface DeleteInterface
       return (false);
    }
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Specify whether this particular module's delete action can & should fetch
+    ** records before deleting them, e.g., for audits or "not-found-checks"
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   default boolean supportsPreFetchQuery()
+   {
+      return (true);
+   }
+
 }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/UpdateInterface.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/UpdateInterface.java
index fa87f5e8..e89baeed 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/UpdateInterface.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/interfaces/UpdateInterface.java
@@ -37,4 +37,14 @@ public interface UpdateInterface
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
    UpdateOutput execute(UpdateInput updateInput) throws QException;
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Specify whether this particular module's update action can & should fetch
+    ** records before updating them, e.g., for audits or "not-found-checks"
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   default boolean supportsPreFetchQuery()
+   {
+      return (true);
+   }
+
 }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/DeleteAction.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/DeleteAction.java
index 195200e7..ec240c2c 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/DeleteAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/DeleteAction.java
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ public class DeleteAction
 
       QBackendModuleDispatcher qBackendModuleDispatcher = new QBackendModuleDispatcher();
       QBackendModuleInterface  qModule                  = qBackendModuleDispatcher.getQBackendModule(deleteInput.getBackend());
+      DeleteInterface          deleteInterface          = qModule.getDeleteInterface();
 
       if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(deleteInput.getPrimaryKeys()) && deleteInput.getQueryFilter() != null)
       {
          throw (new QException("A delete request may not contain both a list of primary keys and a query filter."));
       }
 
-      DeleteInterface deleteInterface = qModule.getDeleteInterface();
       if(deleteInput.getQueryFilter() != null && !deleteInterface.supportsQueryFilterInput())
       {
          LOG.info("Querying for primary keys, for backend module " + qModule.getBackendType() + " which does not support queryFilter input for deletes");
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ public class DeleteAction
          }
       }
 
-      List<QRecord> recordListForAudit          = getRecordListForAuditIfNeeded(deleteInput);
-      List<QRecord> recordsWithValidationErrors = validateRecordsExistAndCanBeAccessed(deleteInput, recordListForAudit);
+      List<QRecord> recordListForAudit          = deleteInterface.supportsPreFetchQuery() ? getRecordListForAuditIfNeeded(deleteInput) : new ArrayList<>();
+      List<QRecord> recordsWithValidationErrors = deleteInterface.supportsPreFetchQuery() ? validateRecordsExistAndCanBeAccessed(deleteInput, recordListForAudit) : new ArrayList<>();
 
       DeleteOutput deleteOutput = deleteInterface.execute(deleteInput);
 
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/UpdateAction.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/UpdateAction.java
index 0ada6d9e..17663aa7 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/UpdateAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/UpdateAction.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.audits.DMLAuditAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.automation.AutomationStatus;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.automation.RecordAutomationStatusUpdater;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.interfaces.UpdateInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
@@ -87,18 +88,24 @@ public class UpdateAction
       ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(updateInput.getInstance(), updateInput.getTable(), updateInput.getRecords());
       // todo - need to handle records with errors coming out of here...
 
-      List<QRecord> oldRecordList = getOldRecordListForAuditIfNeeded(updateInput);
-
       QBackendModuleDispatcher qBackendModuleDispatcher = new QBackendModuleDispatcher();
       QBackendModuleInterface  qModule                  = qBackendModuleDispatcher.getQBackendModule(updateInput.getBackend());
+      UpdateInterface          updateInterface          = qModule.getUpdateInterface();
+
+      List<QRecord> oldRecordList = updateInterface.supportsPreFetchQuery() ? getOldRecordListForAuditIfNeeded(updateInput) : new ArrayList<>();
 
       validatePrimaryKeysAreGiven(updateInput);
-      validateRecordsExistAndCanBeAccessed(updateInput, oldRecordList);
+
+      if(updateInterface.supportsPreFetchQuery())
+      {
+         validateRecordsExistAndCanBeAccessed(updateInput, oldRecordList);
+      }
+
       validateRequiredFields(updateInput);
       ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.validateSecurityFields(updateInput.getTable(), updateInput.getRecords(), ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.Action.UPDATE);
 
       // todo pre-customization - just get to modify the request?
-      UpdateOutput updateOutput = qModule.getUpdateInterface().execute(updateInput);
+      UpdateOutput updateOutput = updateInterface.execute(updateInput);
       // todo post-customization - can do whatever w/ the result if you want
 
       List<String> errors = updateOutput.getRecords().stream().flatMap(r -> r.getErrors().stream()).toList();
diff --git a/qqq-backend-module-api/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/module/api/actions/APIUpdateAction.java b/qqq-backend-module-api/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/module/api/actions/APIUpdateAction.java
index 89cafaf5..e0af323d 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-module-api/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/module/api/actions/APIUpdateAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-module-api/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/module/api/actions/APIUpdateAction.java
@@ -45,4 +45,16 @@ public class APIUpdateAction extends AbstractAPIAction implements UpdateInterfac
       return (apiActionUtil.doUpdate(table, updateInput));
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Specify whether this particular module's update action can & should fetch
+    ** records before updating them, e.g., for audits or "not-found-checks"
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public boolean supportsPreFetchQuery()
+   {
+      return (false);
+   }
+
 }