diff --git a/openmetadata-service/src/main/java/org/openmetadata/service/jdbi3/EntityRepository.java b/openmetadata-service/src/main/java/org/openmetadata/service/jdbi3/EntityRepository.java
index 6d9db7a00eb8..22536b295339 100644
--- a/openmetadata-service/src/main/java/org/openmetadata/service/jdbi3/EntityRepository.java
+++ b/openmetadata-service/src/main/java/org/openmetadata/service/jdbi3/EntityRepository.java
@@ -1453,14 +1453,15 @@ protected void updateTags(String fqn, String fieldName, List<TagLabel> origTags,
         return; // Nothing to update
       }
 
-      // Remove current entity tags in the database. It will be added back later from the merged tag list.
-      daoCollection.tagUsageDAO().deleteTagsByTarget(fqn);
-
       if (operation.isPut()) {
         // PUT operation merges tags in the request with what already exists
         EntityUtil.mergeTags(updatedTags, origTags);
+        checkMutuallyExclusive(updatedTags);
       }
 
+      // Remove current entity tags in the database. It will be added back later from the merged tag list.
+      daoCollection.tagUsageDAO().deleteTagsByTarget(fqn);
+
       List<TagLabel> addedTags = new ArrayList<>();
       List<TagLabel> deletedTags = new ArrayList<>();
       recordListChange(fieldName, origTags, updatedTags, addedTags, deletedTags, tagLabelMatch);