diff --git a/proxmox/src/api/schema.rs b/proxmox/src/api/schema.rs
index dea83361..257265ad 100644
--- a/proxmox/src/api/schema.rs
+++ b/proxmox/src/api/schema.rs
@@ -1505,3 +1505,87 @@ fn test_verify_complex_array() {
         assert!(res.is_err());
     }
 }
+
+/// API types are "updatable" in order to support derived "Updater" structs more easily.
+pub trait Updatable: Sized {
+    type Updater: Updater;
+    /// This should always be true for the "default" updaters which are just `Option<T>` types.
+    /// Types which are not wrapped in `Option` must set this to `false`.
+    const UPDATER_IS_OPTION: bool;
+
+    fn update_from<T>(&mut self, from: Self::Updater, delete: &[T]) -> Result<(), Error>
+    where
+        T: AsRef<str>;
+    fn try_build_from(from: Self::Updater) -> Result<Self, Error>;
+}
+
+macro_rules! basic_updatable {
+    ($($ty:ty)*) => {
+        $(
+            impl Updatable for $ty {
+                type Updater = Option<$ty>;
+                const UPDATER_IS_OPTION: bool = true;
+
+                fn update_from<T: AsRef<str>>(
+                    &mut self,
+                    from: Option<$ty>,
+                    _delete: &[T],
+                ) -> Result<(), Error> {
+                    if let Some(val) = from {
+                        *self = val;
+                    }
+                    Ok(())
+                }
+
+                fn try_build_from(from: Option<$ty>) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+                    from.ok_or_else(|| format_err!("cannot build from None value"))
+                }
+            }
+        )*
+    };
+}
+basic_updatable! { bool u8 u16 u32 u64 i8 i16 i32 i64 String }
+
+impl<T> Updatable for Option<T>
+where
+    T: Updatable,
+{
+    type Updater = T::Updater;
+    const UPDATER_IS_OPTION: bool = true;
+
+    fn update_from<S: AsRef<str>>(&mut self, from: T::Updater, delete: &[S]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        match self {
+            Some(val) => val.update_from(from, delete),
+            None => {
+                *self = Self::try_build_from(from)?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn try_build_from(from: T::Updater) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        if from.is_empty() {
+            Ok(None)
+        } else {
+            T::try_build_from(from).map(Some)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A helper type for "Updater" structs.
+pub trait Updater {
+    /// Check if the updater is "none" or "empty".
+    fn is_empty(&self) -> bool;
+}
+
+impl<T> Updater for Vec<T> {
+    fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.is_empty()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Updater for Option<T> {
+    fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.is_none()
+    }
+}