diff --git a/radicale/__init__.py b/radicale/__init__.py
index 18c2a3a..9d0d074 100644
--- a/radicale/__init__.py
+++ b/radicale/__init__.py
@@ -612,10 +612,7 @@ class Application:
                 if tag:
                     parent_item.set_meta({"tag": tag})
                 href = posixpath.basename(path.strip("/"))
-                if item:
-                    new_item = parent_item.update(href, items[0])
-                else:
-                    new_item = parent_item.upload(href, items[0])
+                new_item = parent_item.upload(href, items[0])
             headers = {"ETag": new_item.etag}
             return client.CREATED, headers, None
 
diff --git a/radicale/storage.py b/radicale/storage.py
index f61d3c4..d102e6e 100644
--- a/radicale/storage.py
+++ b/radicale/storage.py
@@ -320,19 +320,9 @@ class BaseCollection:
         return self.get(href) is not None
 
     def upload(self, href, vobject_item):
-        """Upload a new item."""
+        """Upload a new or replace an existing item."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def update(self, href, vobject_item):
-        """Update an item.
-
-        Functionally similar to ``delete`` plus ``upload``, but might bring
-        performance benefits on some storages when used cleverly.
-
-        """
-        self.delete(href)
-        self.upload(href, vobject_item)
-
     def delete(self, href=None):
         """Delete an item.
 
@@ -654,19 +644,6 @@ class Collection(BaseCollection):
         if not is_safe_filesystem_path_component(href):
             raise UnsafePathError(href)
         path = path_to_filesystem(self._filesystem_path, href)
-        if os.path.exists(path):
-            raise ComponentExistsError(href)
-        item = Item(self, vobject_item, href)
-        with self._atomic_write(path, newline="") as fd:
-            fd.write(item.serialize())
-        return item
-
-    def update(self, href, vobject_item):
-        if not is_safe_filesystem_path_component(href):
-            raise UnsafePathError(href)
-        path = path_to_filesystem(self._filesystem_path, href)
-        if not os.path.isfile(path):
-            raise ComponentNotFoundError(href)
         item = Item(self, vobject_item, href)
         with self._atomic_write(path, newline="") as fd:
             fd.write(item.serialize())