diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/update.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/update.ts
index f080474c2..83da92765 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/update.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/update.ts
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ export const updateOperation = async <TSlug extends keyof GeneratedTypes['collec
       const query = await payload.db.queryDrafts<GeneratedTypes['collections'][TSlug]>({
         collection: collectionConfig.slug,
         locale,
+        pagination: false,
         req,
         where: versionsWhere,
       })
@@ -266,7 +267,8 @@ export const updateOperation = async <TSlug extends keyof GeneratedTypes['collec
           global: null,
           operation: 'update',
           req,
-          skipValidation: shouldSaveDraft || data._status === 'draft',
+          skipValidation:
+            Boolean(collectionConfig.versions?.drafts) && data._status !== 'published',
         })
 
         // /////////////////////////////////////
@@ -295,7 +297,6 @@ export const updateOperation = async <TSlug extends keyof GeneratedTypes['collec
               ...result,
               createdAt: doc.createdAt,
             },
-            draft: shouldSaveDraft,
             payload,
             req,
           })
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/updateByID.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/updateByID.ts
index c6764c90f..171c16452 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/updateByID.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/updateByID.ts
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ export const updateByIDOperation = async <TSlug extends keyof GeneratedTypes['co
       global: null,
       operation: 'update',
       req,
-      skipValidation: shouldSaveDraft || data._status === 'draft',
+      skipValidation: Boolean(collectionConfig.versions?.drafts) && data._status !== 'published',
     })
 
     // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/elements/EditMany/index.tsx b/packages/ui/src/elements/EditMany/index.tsx
index addab545b..c5428f057 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/elements/EditMany/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/elements/EditMany/index.tsx
@@ -220,11 +220,11 @@ export const EditMany: React.FC<EditManyProps> = (props) => {
                         {collection?.versions?.drafts ? (
                           <React.Fragment>
                             <Publish
-                              action={`${serverURL}${apiRoute}/${slug}${getQueryParams()}`}
+                              action={`${serverURL}${apiRoute}/${slug}${getQueryParams()}&draft=true`}
                               disabled={selected.length === 0}
                             />
                             <SaveDraft
-                              action={`${serverURL}${apiRoute}/${slug}${getQueryParams()}`}
+                              action={`${serverURL}${apiRoute}/${slug}${getQueryParams()}&draft=true`}
                               disabled={selected.length === 0}
                             />
                           </React.Fragment>
diff --git a/test/versions/e2e.spec.ts b/test/versions/e2e.spec.ts
index e31e9f13f..b3abf8dbd 100644
--- a/test/versions/e2e.spec.ts
+++ b/test/versions/e2e.spec.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
  *    - tabs
  *    - text
  *    - richtext
- *  - restore version
  *  - specify locales to show
  */
 
diff --git a/test/versions/int.spec.ts b/test/versions/int.spec.ts
index 6a264922b..921ca12a2 100644
--- a/test/versions/int.spec.ts
+++ b/test/versions/int.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import type { Payload } from 'payload'
 
+import { ValidationError } from 'payload/errors'
+
 import type { NextRESTClient } from '../helpers/NextRESTClient.js'
 
 import { devUser } from '../credentials.js'
@@ -472,7 +474,84 @@ describe('Versions', () => {
         expect(draftPost.title.en).toBe(patchedTitle)
         expect(draftPost.title.es).toBe(spanishTitle)
       })
+
+      it('should validate when publishing with the draft arg', async () => {
+        // no title (not valid for publishing)
+        const doc = await payload.create({
+          collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+          data: {
+            description: 'desc',
+          },
+          draft: true,
+        })
+
+        await expect(async () => {
+          // should not be able to publish a doc that fails validation
+          await payload.update({
+            id: doc.id,
+            collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+            data: { _status: 'published' },
+            draft: true,
+          })
+        }).rejects.toThrow(ValidationError)
+
+        // succeeds but returns zero docs updated, with an error
+        const updateManyResult = await payload.update({
+          collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+          data: { _status: 'published' },
+          draft: true,
+          where: {
+            id: { equals: doc.id },
+          },
+        })
+
+        expect(updateManyResult.docs).toHaveLength(0)
+        expect(updateManyResult.errors).toStrictEqual([
+          { id: doc.id, message: 'The following field is invalid: title' },
+        ])
+      })
     })
+
+    describe('Update Many', () => {
+      it('should update many using drafts', async () => {
+        const doc = await payload.create({
+          collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+          data: {
+            title: 'initial value',
+            description: 'description to bulk update',
+            _status: 'published',
+          },
+        })
+
+        await payload.update({
+          collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+          id: doc.id,
+          draft: true,
+          data: {
+            title: 'updated title',
+          },
+        })
+
+        const updated = await payload.update({
+          collection: draftCollectionSlug,
+          data: {
+            description: 'updated description',
+          },
+          draft: true,
+          where: {
+            id: {
+              in: [doc.id],
+            },
+          },
+        })
+
+        const updatedDoc = updated.docs?.[0]
+
+        expect(updatedDoc.description).toStrictEqual('updated description')
+        expect(updatedDoc.title).toStrictEqual('updated title') // probably will fail
+      })
+    })
+
     describe('Delete', () => {
       let postToDelete
       beforeEach(async () => {