diff --git a/tests/tests.py b/tests/tests.py
index 2110c82..6b2049e 100644
--- a/tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/tests.py
@@ -288,6 +288,27 @@ def test_update_task_issue(self):
         self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 400)
         self.assertEqual(resp.json(), {'issue': ['Subtask needs a parent']})
 
+    def test_epic_to_subtask(self):
+        """
+        Block moving epic to subtask, if epic has subtasks
+        """
+        parent = TaskFactory(project=self.project, created_by=self.creator, code='NP-3')
+        epic_task = TaskFactory(project=self.project, created_by=self.creator)
+        TaskFactory(project=self.project, issue=Issue.SUBTASK, parent=epic_task, code='NP-2', created_by=self.creator)
+
+        data = {
+            'project_id': epic_task.project.id,
+            'assigned_to_id': epic_task.assigned_to.id,
+            'title': epic_task.title,
+            'description': epic_task.description,
+            'issue': Issue.SUBTASK.name,
+            'parent_id': parent.id
+        }
+        url = reverse('task-detail', kwargs={'code': epic_task.code})
+        resp = self.client.put(url, data, format='json')
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 400)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.json(), {'issue': ['Subtask cannot have subtasks']})
+
 
 class SubTasksTestCase(APITestCase):
     url = reverse('task-list')
@@ -311,7 +332,7 @@ def test_epic_parent(self):
         }
         resp = self.client.post(self.url, data, format='json')
         self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 400)
-        self.assertEqual(resp.json(), {'non_field_errors': ['Epic task cannot have parent']})
+        self.assertEqual(resp.json(), {'issue': ['Epic task cannot have parent']})
 
     def test_subtask_subtask(self):
         subtask = TaskFactory(
@@ -438,10 +459,6 @@ def test_subtask_to_epic(self):
         self.assertEqual(subtask.parent, None)
 
 
-
-
-
-
 class AdminFormTestCase(APITestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         self.user = User.objects.create(username='creator', password='password')
diff --git a/umsebenzi/serializers.py b/umsebenzi/serializers.py
index 840ffb0..6fa922f 100644
--- a/umsebenzi/serializers.py
+++ b/umsebenzi/serializers.py
@@ -92,9 +92,8 @@ def get_subtasks(self, obj: Task):
     def validate(self, attrs):
         issue = attrs.get('issue')
         parent = attrs.get('parent_id')
-        # breakpoint()
         if issue == Issue.EPIC and parent:
-            raise serializers.ValidationError('Epic task cannot have parent')
+            raise serializers.ValidationError({'issue': 'Epic task cannot have parent'})
         if parent and parent.issue is Issue.SUBTASK and issue == Issue.SUBTASK:
             raise serializers.ValidationError('Subtask cannot have subtask parent')
         if issue == Issue.SUBTASK and not parent:
@@ -116,9 +115,16 @@ def create(self, validated_data):
         )
 
     def update(self, instance: Task, validated_data):
+        if Task.objects.filter(parent=instance).exists():
+            raise serializers.ValidationError({'issue': ['Subtask cannot have subtasks']})
+
+        issue = validated_data.get('issue')
+        if issue == Issue.EPIC:
+            instance.parent = None
+        else:
+            instance.parent = validated_data.get('parent_id', instance.parent)
         instance.project = validated_data.get('project_id', instance.project)
         instance.assigned_to = validated_data.get('assigned_to_id', instance.assigned_to)
-        instance.parent = validated_data.get('parent_id', instance.parent)
         instance.title = validated_data.get('title', instance.title)
         instance.description = validated_data.get('description', instance.description)
         instance.status = validated_data.get('status', instance.status)