diff --git a/elastic4s-core/src/test/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryHandlerTest.scala b/elastic4s-core/src/test/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryHandlerTest.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..89541fd127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elastic4s-core/src/test/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryHandlerTest.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.update
+
+import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.handlers.update.UpdateHandlers
+import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.common.Preference.Shards
+import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.searches.queries.matches.MatchAllQuery
+import org.scalatest.flatspec.AnyFlatSpec
+import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
+
+class UpdateByQueryHandlerTest extends AnyFlatSpec with Matchers with UpdateHandlers {
+
+  it should "build preference parameter with ShardsPreferenceRequest" in {
+    val request = UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest(
+      indexes = "test_index",
+      query = MatchAllQuery()
+    ).preference(Shards(List("0", "1", "2", "3")))
+
+    val elasticRequest = AsyncUpdateByQueryHandler.build(request)
+
+    elasticRequest.params should contain("preference" -> "_shards:0,1,2,3")
+  }
+
+  it should "not include preference parameter when shards is None" in {
+    val request = UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest(
+      indexes = "test_index",
+      query = MatchAllQuery()
+    )
+
+    val elasticRequest = AsyncUpdateByQueryHandler.build(request)
+
+    elasticRequest.params should not contain key("preference")
+  }
+}
diff --git a/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest.scala b/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest.scala
index e2b2bd1e72..dc0186d099 100644
--- a/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest.scala
+++ b/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest.scala
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ package com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.update
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.Indexes
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.ext.OptionImplicits._
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.admin.IndicesOptionsRequest
-import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.common.{RefreshPolicy, Slice, Slicing}
+import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.common.{Preference, RefreshPolicy, Slice, Slicing}
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.script.Script
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.searches.queries.Query
+
 import scala.concurrent.duration.FiniteDuration
 
 case class UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest(
@@ -27,7 +28,8 @@ case class UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest(
     shouldStoreResult: Option[Boolean] = None,
     size: Option[Int] = None,
     indicesOptions: Option[IndicesOptionsRequest] = None,
-    routing: Option[String] = None
+    routing: Option[String] = None,
+    preference: Option[String] = None
 ) extends BaseUpdateByQueryRequest {
 
   def proceedOnConflicts(proceedOnConflicts: Boolean): UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest =
@@ -73,5 +75,8 @@ case class UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest(
 
   def indicesOptions(options: IndicesOptionsRequest): UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest = copy(indicesOptions = options.some)
 
+  def preference(pref: Preference): UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest = preference(pref.value)
+  def preference(pref: String): UpdateByQueryAsyncRequest     = copy(preference = pref.some)
+
   override val waitForCompletion: Option[Boolean] = Some(false)
 }
diff --git a/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryRequest.scala b/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryRequest.scala
index a74cf1a120..dd2b5678fc 100644
--- a/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryRequest.scala
+++ b/elastic4s-domain/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/requests/update/UpdateByQueryRequest.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.update
 
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.Indexes
-import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.common.{RefreshPolicy, Slice, Slicing}
+import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.common.{Preference, RefreshPolicy, Slice, Slicing}
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.script.Script
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.requests.searches.queries.Query
 import com.sksamuel.elastic4s.ext.OptionImplicits._
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ trait BaseUpdateByQueryRequest {
   val indicesOptions: Option[IndicesOptionsRequest]
 
   val routing: Option[String]
+
+  val preference: Option[String]
 }
 case class UpdateByQueryRequest(
     indexes: Indexes,
@@ -71,7 +73,8 @@ case class UpdateByQueryRequest(
     shouldStoreResult: Option[Boolean] = None,
     size: Option[Int] = None,
     indicesOptions: Option[IndicesOptionsRequest] = None,
-    routing: Option[String] = None
+    routing: Option[String] = None,
+    preference: Option[String] = None
 ) extends BaseUpdateByQueryRequest {
 
   def proceedOnConflicts(proceedOnConflicts: Boolean): UpdateByQueryRequest =
@@ -119,4 +122,7 @@ case class UpdateByQueryRequest(
     copy(shouldStoreResult = shouldStoreResult.some)
 
   def indicesOptions(options: IndicesOptionsRequest): UpdateByQueryRequest = copy(indicesOptions = options.some)
+
+  def preference(pref: Preference): UpdateByQueryRequest = preference(pref.value)
+  def preference(pref: String): UpdateByQueryRequest     = copy(preference = pref.some)
 }
diff --git a/elastic4s-handlers/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/handlers/update/UpdateHandlers.scala b/elastic4s-handlers/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/handlers/update/UpdateHandlers.scala
index 49138c7f93..384a61833b 100644
--- a/elastic4s-handlers/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/handlers/update/UpdateHandlers.scala
+++ b/elastic4s-handlers/src/main/scala/com/sksamuel/elastic4s/handlers/update/UpdateHandlers.scala
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ trait UpdateHandlers {
       request.slices.foreach(s =>
         if (s == Slicing.AutoSlices) params.put("slices", Slicing.AutoSlicesValue) else params.put("slices", s)
       )
+      request.preference.foreach(params.put("preference", _))
 
       request.indicesOptions.foreach { opts =>
         IndicesOptionsParams(opts).foreach { case (key, value) => params.put(key, value) }