diff --git a/crud/subscription_manager.cpp b/crud/subscription_manager.cpp
index 2474b0fe..fd4540dc 100644
--- a/crud/subscription_manager.cpp
+++ b/crud/subscription_manager.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ subscription_manager::unsubscribe(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, const bzn::key_t& key
 
 
 void
-subscription_manager::notify_sessions(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, const bzn::key_t& key, const std::string& value)
+subscription_manager::notify_sessions(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, const bool update, const bzn::key_t& key, const std::string& value)
 {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(this->subscribers_lock);
 
@@ -165,6 +165,15 @@ subscription_manager::notify_sessions(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, const bzn::key_t&
                             resp.mutable_subscription_update()->set_value(value);
                         }
 
+                        if (update)
+                        {
+                            resp.mutable_subscription_update()->set_operation(database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
+                        }
+                        else
+                        {
+                            resp.mutable_subscription_update()->set_operation(database_subscription_update::DELETE);
+                        }
+
                         LOG(debug) << "notifying session [" << session_shared_ptr->get_session_id() << "] : " << uuid
                                    << ":" << key << ":" << subscription.first << ":" << value.substr(0, MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE);
 
@@ -183,15 +192,15 @@ subscription_manager::inspect_commit(const database_msg& msg)
     switch (msg.msg_case())
     {
         case database_msg::kCreate:
-            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), msg.create().key(), msg.create().value());
+            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), true, msg.create().key(), msg.create().value());
             break;
 
         case database_msg::kUpdate:
-            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), msg.update().key(), msg.update().value());
+            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), true, msg.update().key(), msg.update().value());
             break;
 
         case database_msg::kDelete:
-            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), msg.delete_().key(), "");
+            this->notify_sessions(msg.header().db_uuid(), false, msg.delete_().key(), "");
             break;
 
         default:
diff --git a/crud/subscription_manager.hpp b/crud/subscription_manager.hpp
index a42ae451..e382dee1 100644
--- a/crud/subscription_manager.hpp
+++ b/crud/subscription_manager.hpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace bzn
 
         void purge_closed_sessions(const boost::system::error_code& ec);
 
-        void notify_sessions(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, const bzn::key_t& key, const std::string& value);
+        void notify_sessions(const bzn::uuid_t& uuid, bool update, const bzn::key_t& key, const std::string& value);
 
         std::unordered_map<bzn::uuid_t, std::unordered_map<bzn::key_t, std::unordered_map<bzn::session_id, std::unordered_map<uint64_t, std::weak_ptr<bzn::session_base>>>>> subscribers;
 
diff --git a/crud/test/subscription_manager_test.cpp b/crud/test/subscription_manager_test.cpp
index a426279a..dfb7bccd 100644
--- a/crud/test/subscription_manager_test.cpp
+++ b/crud/test/subscription_manager_test.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "0");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "0");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
             }));
 
         EXPECT_CALL(*mock_session2, send_datagram(An<std::shared_ptr<std::string>>())).WillOnce(Invoke(
@@ -211,6 +212,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "0");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "0");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
             }));
 
         sm.inspect_commit(msg);
@@ -235,6 +237,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "1");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "1");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
             }));
 
         EXPECT_CALL(*mock_session2, send_datagram(An<std::shared_ptr<std::string>>())).WillOnce(Invoke(
@@ -247,6 +250,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "1");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "1");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
             }));
 
         sm.inspect_commit(msg);
@@ -270,6 +274,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "1");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::DELETE);
             }));
 
         EXPECT_CALL(*mock_session2, send_datagram(An<std::shared_ptr<std::string>>())).WillOnce(Invoke(
@@ -282,6 +287,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_subscriber_is_notified_for_create_and_updat
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "1");
                 ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "");
+                ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::DELETE);
             }));
 
         sm.inspect_commit(msg);
@@ -342,6 +348,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_dead_session_is_removed_from_subscriber_lis
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "0");
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "0");
+            ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
         }));
 
     EXPECT_CALL(*mock_session2, send_datagram(An<std::shared_ptr<std::string>>())).WillOnce(Invoke(
@@ -354,6 +361,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_dead_session_is_removed_from_subscriber_lis
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "0");
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "0");
+            ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
         }));
 
     sm->inspect_commit(msg);
@@ -375,6 +383,7 @@ TEST(subscription_manager, test_that_dead_session_is_removed_from_subscriber_lis
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.response_case(), database_response::kSubscriptionUpdate);
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().key(), "0");
             ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().value(), "0");
+            ASSERT_EQ(resp.subscription_update().operation(), database_subscription_update::UPDATE);
         }));
 
     sm->inspect_commit(msg);
diff --git a/proto/database.proto b/proto/database.proto
index 4a25966f..42a17077 100644
--- a/proto/database.proto
+++ b/proto/database.proto
@@ -84,8 +84,15 @@ message database_has
 
 message database_subscription_update
 {
+    enum operation_type
+    {
+        UPDATE = 0;
+        DELETE = 1;
+    }
+
     string key = 1;
     bytes value = 2;
+    operation_type operation = 3;
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////