diff --git a/changes/724.feature.rst b/changes/724.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2cd5f52ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/724.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allow model.update to accept ObjectNode as input.
diff --git a/src/stdatamodels/jwst/datamodels/model_base.py b/src/stdatamodels/jwst/datamodels/model_base.py
index 850d55302..5c5d52ea3 100644
--- a/src/stdatamodels/jwst/datamodels/model_base.py
+++ b/src/stdatamodels/jwst/datamodels/model_base.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from astropy.time import Time
 
 from stdatamodels import DataModel as _DataModel
+from stdatamodels import properties
 from stdatamodels.dynamicdq import dynamic_mask
 
 from .dqflags import pixel
@@ -79,7 +80,8 @@ def update(self, d, only=None, extra_fits=False, cal_logs=True):
         ----------
         d : `~stdatamodels.jwst.datamodels.JwstDataModel` or dictionary-like object
             The model to copy the metadata elements from. Can also be a
-            dictionary or dictionary of dictionaries or lists.
+            dictionary or dictionary of dictionaries or lists, or an
+            `~stdatamodels.properties.ObjectNode`.
         only : str, list of str, or None
             Update only the named hdu, e.g. ``only='PRIMARY'``. Can either be
             a string or list of hdu names. If None, all hdus will be updated.
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ def update(self, d, only=None, extra_fits=False, cal_logs=True):
             Update from ``cal_logs`` as well as ``meta``.
         """
         # Get the cal logs first
-        if isinstance(d, _DataModel):
+        if isinstance(d, properties.Node):
             # Get cal logs if present
             if d.hasattr("cal_logs"):
                 logs = copy.deepcopy(d.cal_logs._instance)
diff --git a/src/stdatamodels/model_base.py b/src/stdatamodels/model_base.py
index 8fb41a05c..763c1e5e4 100644
--- a/src/stdatamodels/model_base.py
+++ b/src/stdatamodels/model_base.py
@@ -880,7 +880,8 @@ def update(self, d, only=None, extra_fits=False):
         ----------
         d : `~jwst.datamodels.DataModel` or dictionary-like object
             The model to copy the metadata elements from. Can also be a
-            dictionary or dictionary of dictionaries or lists.
+            dictionary or dictionary of dictionaries or lists, or an
+            `~stdatamodels.properties.ObjectNode`.
         only : str, None
             Update only the named hdu, e.g. ``only='PRIMARY'``. Can either be
             a string or list of hdu names. Default is to update all the hdus.
@@ -907,7 +908,7 @@ def hdu_names_from_schema(subschema, path, combiner, ctx, recurse):
         # Resolve the source dict and, for DataModel input, the set of
         # schema-approved leaf paths (those with a fits_keyword in the
         # appropriate HDU).
-        if isinstance(d, DataModel):
+        if isinstance(d, properties.Node):
             hdu_keywords = set()
 
             def hdu_keywords_from_schema(subschema, path, combiner, ctx, recurse):
diff --git a/tests/jwst/datamodels/test_multislit.py b/tests/jwst/datamodels/test_multislit.py
index 82b86bf97..d66fe78a3 100644
--- a/tests/jwst/datamodels/test_multislit.py
+++ b/tests/jwst/datamodels/test_multislit.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal
 
 from stdatamodels.jwst.datamodels import ImageModel, MultiSlitModel, SlitModel
+from stdatamodels.properties import ObjectNode
 
 
 def test_multislit_model():
@@ -168,3 +169,23 @@ def test_slit_from_multislit():
     slit.int_times = slit.get_default("int_times")
     model.slits.append(slit)
     slit = SlitModel(model.slits[0].instance)
+
+
+def test_slit_update_from_multislit():
+    """Cover a bug where JwstDataModel.update() would raise for ObjectNode input."""
+    multislit = MultiSlitModel()
+    slit = SlitModel()
+    # name is in both SlitModel and MultiSlitModel slitdata schema
+    slit.name = "foo"
+    # telescope is not in MultiSlitModel slitdata schema
+    slit.meta.telescope = "bar"
+    multislit.slits.append(slit)
+    slit_objnode = multislit.slits[0]
+    assert isinstance(slit_objnode, ObjectNode)
+
+    slit2 = SlitModel()
+    slit2.update(slit_objnode)
+    # schema-defined in both -> updated
+    assert slit2.name == "foo"
+    # schema-undefined in source -> not updated
+    assert slit2.meta.telescope is None