diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add_update_server-8761059d6de7e68b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add_update_server-8761059d6de7e68b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bbe898d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add_update_server-8761059d6de7e68b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+features:
+  - Add update_server method to update name or description of a server.
diff --git a/shade/_tasks.py b/shade/_tasks.py
index eaa7c007a..6947cb0e1 100644
--- a/shade/_tasks.py
+++ b/shade/_tasks.py
@@ -167,6 +167,11 @@ class ServerDelete(task_manager.Task):
         return client.nova_client.servers.delete(**self.args)
 
 
+class ServerUpdate(task_manager.Task):
+    def main(self, client):
+        return client.nova_client.servers.update(**self.args)
+
+
 class ServerRebuild(task_manager.Task):
     def main(self, client):
         return client.nova_client.servers.rebuild(**self.args)
diff --git a/shade/openstackcloud.py b/shade/openstackcloud.py
index 401f4df39..6b965b47b 100644
--- a/shade/openstackcloud.py
+++ b/shade/openstackcloud.py
@@ -4471,6 +4471,30 @@ class OpenStackCloud(object):
         self._servers_time = self._servers_time - self._SERVER_AGE
         return True
 
+    @_utils.valid_kwargs(
+        'name', 'description')
+    def update_server(self, name_or_id, **kwargs):
+        """Update a server.
+
+        :param name_or_id: Name of the server to be updated.
+        :name: New name for the server
+        :description: New description for the server
+
+        :returns: a dictionary representing the updated server.
+
+        :raises: OpenStackCloudException on operation error.
+        """
+        server = self.get_server(name_or_id=name_or_id)
+        if server is None:
+            raise OpenStackCloudException(
+                "failed to find server '{server}'".format(server=name_or_id))
+
+        with _utils.shade_exceptions(
+                "Error updating server {0}".format(name_or_id)):
+            return self.manager.submitTask(
+                _tasks.ServerUpdate(
+                    server=server['id'], **kwargs))
+
     def create_server_group(self, name, policies):
         """Create a new server group.
 
diff --git a/shade/tests/functional/test_compute.py b/shade/tests/functional/test_compute.py
index 287806685..d17ebfaa1 100644
--- a/shade/tests/functional/test_compute.py
+++ b/shade/tests/functional/test_compute.py
@@ -250,3 +250,16 @@ class TestCompute(base.BaseFunctionalTestCase):
             exc.OpenStackCloudException,
             self.demo_cloud.delete_server_metadata,
             self.server_name, ['key1'])
+
+    def test_update_server(self):
+        self.addCleanup(self._cleanup_servers_and_volumes, self.server_name)
+        self.demo_cloud.create_server(
+            name=self.server_name,
+            image=self.image,
+            flavor=self.flavor,
+            wait=True)
+        server_updated = self.demo_cloud.update_server(
+            self.server_name,
+            name='new_name'
+        )
+        self.assertEqual('new_name', server_updated['name'])
diff --git a/shade/tests/unit/test_update_server.py b/shade/tests/unit/test_update_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b18f2cb77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shade/tests/unit/test_update_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+"""
+test_update_server
+----------------------------------
+
+Tests for the `update_server` command.
+"""
+
+from mock import patch, Mock
+import os_client_config
+from shade import OpenStackCloud
+from shade.exc import OpenStackCloudException
+from shade.tests import base, fakes
+
+
+class TestUpdateServer(base.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestUpdateServer, self).setUp()
+        config = os_client_config.OpenStackConfig()
+        self.client = OpenStackCloud(
+            cloud_config=config.get_one_cloud(validate=False))
+        self.client._SERVER_AGE = 0
+
+    def test_update_server_with_update_exception(self):
+        """
+        Test that an exception in the novaclient update raises an exception in
+        update_server.
+        """
+        with patch("shade.OpenStackCloud"):
+            config = {
+                "servers.update.side_effect": Exception("exception"),
+            }
+            OpenStackCloud.nova_client = Mock(**config)
+            self.assertRaises(
+                OpenStackCloudException, self.client.update_server,
+                'server-name')
+
+    def test_update_server_name(self):
+        """
+        Test that update_server updates the name without raising any exception
+        """
+        with patch("shade.OpenStackCloud"):
+            fake_server = fakes.FakeServer('1234', 'server-name', 'ACTIVE')
+            fake_update_server = fakes.FakeServer('1234', 'server-name2',
+                                                  'ACTIVE')
+            fake_floating_ip = fakes.FakeFloatingIP('1234', 'ippool',
+                                                    '1.1.1.1', '2.2.2.2',
+                                                    '5678')
+            config = {
+                "servers.list.return_value": [fake_server],
+                "servers.update.return_value": fake_update_server,
+                "floating_ips.list.return_value": [fake_floating_ip]
+            }
+            OpenStackCloud.nova_client = Mock(**config)
+            self.assertEqual(
+                'server-name2',
+                self.client.update_server(
+                    'server-name', name='server-name2')['name'])