diff --git a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/CHANGELOG.md b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/CHANGELOG.md
index f739307255..bbc1775c6b 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Reduce message Ids to 64 bits down from 128 bits ([#7232](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7232))
 - Reduce channel Ids to 32 bits down from 128 bits ([#7233](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7233))
 - Sync platform moderators/operators to LocalUserIndexes ([#7248](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7248))
+- Support updating bot principal but not name ([#7250](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7250))
 
 ## [[2.0.1567](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/releases/tag/v2.0.1567-local_user_index)] - 2025-01-14
 
diff --git a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/api/src/lib.rs b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/api/src/lib.rs
index 9cdd9c1f8b..1393318680 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/api/src/lib.rs
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ pub struct BotRegistered {
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct BotUpdated {
     pub user_id: UserId,
-    pub name: Option<String>,
     pub commands: Option<Vec<SlashCommandSchema>>,
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/model/bots_map.rs b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/model/bots_map.rs
index 25eb9c961e..5c99803b02 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/model/bots_map.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/model/bots_map.rs
@@ -32,11 +32,8 @@ impl BotsMap {
         self.principal_to_user_id.insert(user_principal, user_id);
     }
 
-    pub fn update(&mut self, user_id: UserId, name: Option<String>, commands: Option<Vec<SlashCommandSchema>>) {
+    pub fn update(&mut self, user_id: UserId, commands: Option<Vec<SlashCommandSchema>>) {
         self.bots.entry(user_id).and_modify(|bot| {
-            if let Some(name) = name {
-                bot.name = name;
-            }
             if let Some(commands) = commands {
                 bot.commands = commands;
             }
diff --git a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/updates/c2c_notify_user_index_events.rs b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/updates/c2c_notify_user_index_events.rs
index c01307ceab..358fda8fc8 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/updates/c2c_notify_user_index_events.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/local_user_index/impl/src/updates/c2c_notify_user_index_events.rs
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ fn handle_event(event: UserIndexEvent, state: &mut RuntimeState) {
             state.data.bots.add(ev.user_principal, ev.user_id, ev.name, ev.commands);
         }
         UserIndexEvent::BotUpdated(ev) => {
-            state.data.bots.update(ev.user_id, ev.name, ev.commands);
+            state.data.bots.update(ev.user_id, ev.commands);
         }
         UserIndexEvent::PlatformOperatorStatusChanged(ev) => {
             state
diff --git a/backend/canisters/user_index/CHANGELOG.md b/backend/canisters/user_index/CHANGELOG.md
index df9d1e43ff..67f78baa52 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/user_index/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/backend/canisters/user_index/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Reduce message Ids to 64 bits down from 128 bits ([#7232](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7232))
 - Reduce channel Ids to 32 bits down from 128 bits ([#7233](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7233))
 - Sync platform moderators/operators to LocalUserIndexes ([#7248](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7248))
+- Support updating bot principal but not name ([#7250](https://github.com/open-chat-labs/open-chat/pull/7250))
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/backend/canisters/user_index/api/can.did b/backend/canisters/user_index/api/can.did
index ed53040419..a6dca9c3b1 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/user_index/api/can.did
+++ b/backend/canisters/user_index/api/can.did
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ type RegisterBotResponse = variant {
 type UpdateBotArgs = record {
     bot_id : UserId;
     owner : opt UserId;
-    name : opt text;
+    "principal" : opt principal;
     avatar : TextUpdate; // Image as a data URL
     endpoint : opt text;
     definition : opt BotDefinition;
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ type UpdateBotArgs = record {
 
 type UpdateBotResponse = variant {
     Success;
-    NameInvalid;
-    NameAlreadyExists;
+    PrincipalInvalid;
+    PrincipalAlreadyUsed;
     AvatarInvalid;
     EndpointInvalid;
     BotNotFound;
diff --git a/backend/canisters/user_index/api/src/updates/update_bot.rs b/backend/canisters/user_index/api/src/updates/update_bot.rs
index 76771d8156..13af8e01f9 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/user_index/api/src/updates/update_bot.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/user_index/api/src/updates/update_bot.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use candid::CandidType;
+use candid::{CandidType, Principal};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use ts_export::ts_export;
 use types::{BotDefinition, OptionUpdate, UserId};
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ use types::{BotDefinition, OptionUpdate, UserId};
 pub struct Args {
     pub bot_id: UserId,
     pub owner: Option<UserId>,
-    pub name: Option<String>,
+    #[ts(as = "Option::<ts_export::TSBytes>")]
+    pub principal: Option<Principal>,
     #[ts(as = "types::OptionUpdateString")]
     pub avatar: OptionUpdate<String>, // Image as a data URL
     pub endpoint: Option<String>,
@@ -19,8 +20,8 @@ pub struct Args {
 #[derive(CandidType, Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub enum Response {
     Success,
-    NameInvalid,
-    NameAlreadyExists,
+    PrincipalInvalid,
+    PrincipalAlreadyUsed,
     AvatarInvalid,
     EndpointInvalid,
     BotNotFound,
diff --git a/backend/canisters/user_index/impl/src/updates/update_bot.rs b/backend/canisters/user_index/impl/src/updates/update_bot.rs
index 19ad681663..19c34884c5 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/user_index/impl/src/updates/update_bot.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/user_index/impl/src/updates/update_bot.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use local_user_index_canister::{BotUpdated, UserIndexEvent};
 use types::OptionUpdate;
 use url::Url;
 use user_index_canister::update_bot::{Response::*, *};
-use utils::{document::try_parse_data_url, text_validation::validate_username};
+use utils::document::try_parse_data_url;
 
 #[update(candid = true, msgpack = true)]
 #[trace]
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ fn update_bot_impl(args: Args, state: &mut RuntimeState) -> Response {
     let mut bot = bot.clone();
     let mut user = user.clone();
 
-    if let Some(name) = args.name.as_ref() {
-        bot.name = name.clone();
-        user.username = name.clone();
+    if let Some(principal) = args.principal {
+        user.principal = principal;
     }
 
     if let Some(owner_id) = args.owner {
@@ -67,17 +66,16 @@ fn update_bot_impl(args: Args, state: &mut RuntimeState) -> Response {
 
     bot.last_updated = now;
 
-    match state.data.users.update(user, now, true, Some(bot)) {
+    match state.data.users.update(user, now, false, Some(bot)) {
         UpdateUserResult::Success => (),
-        UpdateUserResult::UsernameTaken => return NameAlreadyExists,
+        UpdateUserResult::UsernameTaken => unreachable!(),
         UpdateUserResult::UserNotFound => return BotNotFound,
-        UpdateUserResult::PrincipalTaken => unreachable!(),
+        UpdateUserResult::PrincipalTaken => return PrincipalAlreadyUsed,
     }
 
     state.push_event_to_all_local_user_indexes(
         UserIndexEvent::BotUpdated(BotUpdated {
             user_id: args.bot_id,
-            name: args.name.clone(),
             commands: args.definition.map(|d| d.commands.clone()),
         }),
         None,
@@ -89,13 +87,9 @@ fn update_bot_impl(args: Args, state: &mut RuntimeState) -> Response {
 }
 
 fn validate(args: &Args, state: &RuntimeState) -> Result<(), Response> {
-    if let Some(name) = args.name.as_ref() {
-        if validate_username(name).is_err() {
-            return Err(NameInvalid);
-        }
-
-        if state.data.users.does_username_exist(name, true) {
-            return Err(NameAlreadyExists);
+    if let Some(principal) = args.principal {
+        if principal == Principal::anonymous() {
+            return Err(PrincipalInvalid);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/backend/integration_tests/src/bot_tests.rs b/backend/integration_tests/src/bot_tests.rs
index 7bdb4a845f..bfc8138038 100644
--- a/backend/integration_tests/src/bot_tests.rs
+++ b/backend/integration_tests/src/bot_tests.rs
@@ -206,16 +206,16 @@ fn e2e_bot_test() {
     assert!(message.bot_context.is_some());
     assert!(message.bot_context.as_ref().unwrap().finalised);
 
-    // Update the bot name
-    let new_bot_name = random_string();
+    // Update the bot endpoint
+    let new_endpoint = "https://123.bot.xyz/".to_string();
     client::user_index::happy_path::update_bot(
         env,
         canister_ids.user_index,
         user.principal,
         bot.id,
         None,
-        Some(new_bot_name.clone()),
         None,
+        Some(new_endpoint.clone()),
         None,
     );
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ fn e2e_bot_test() {
     assert_eq!(response.added_or_updated.len(), 1);
 
     let bot = &response.added_or_updated[0];
-    assert_eq!(bot.name, new_bot_name);
+    assert_eq!(bot.endpoint, new_endpoint);
 }
 
 fn init_test_data(env: &mut PocketIc, canister_ids: &CanisterIds, controller: Principal) -> TestData {
diff --git a/backend/integration_tests/src/client/user_index.rs b/backend/integration_tests/src/client/user_index.rs
index 928ce388a0..4bb47a4b1e 100644
--- a/backend/integration_tests/src/client/user_index.rs
+++ b/backend/integration_tests/src/client/user_index.rs
@@ -280,8 +280,8 @@ pub mod happy_path {
         user_index_canister_id: CanisterId,
         caller: Principal,
         bot_id: UserId,
+        bot_principal: Option<Principal>,
         owner: Option<UserId>,
-        name: Option<String>,
         endpoint: Option<String>,
         definition: Option<BotDefinition>,
     ) {
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ pub mod happy_path {
             &user_index_canister::update_bot::Args {
                 bot_id,
                 owner,
-                name,
+                principal: bot_principal,
                 avatar: OptionUpdate::NoChange,
                 endpoint,
                 definition,