diff --git a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/contract.rs b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/contract.rs
index 1814245..37f634b 100644
--- a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/contract.rs
+++ b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/contract.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::events;
 use crate::storage;
 use crate::{error::RegistryError, types::ExpertStatus};
-use soroban_sdk::{Address, Env, String, Vec};
+use soroban_sdk::{Address, BytesN, Env, String, Vec};
 
 /// Initialize the registry with an admin address
 pub fn initialize_registry(env: &Env, admin: &Address) -> Result<(), RegistryError> {
@@ -77,6 +77,14 @@ pub fn remove_moderator(env: &Env, moderator: &Address) -> Result<(), RegistryEr
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Upgrade the current contract WASM to a new published version (Admin only)
+pub fn upgrade_contract(env: &Env, new_wasm_hash: BytesN<32>) -> Result<(), RegistryError> {
+    let admin = storage::get_admin(env).ok_or(RegistryError::NotInitialized)?;
+    admin.require_auth();
+    env.deployer().update_current_contract_wasm(new_wasm_hash);
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub fn verify_expert(
     env: &Env,
     caller: &Address,
diff --git a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/lib.rs b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/lib.rs
index dec5ed4..8b1efb8 100644
--- a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/lib.rs
+++ b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/lib.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ mod types;
 
 use crate::error::RegistryError;
 use crate::types::ExpertStatus;
-use soroban_sdk::{contract, contractimpl, Address, Env, String, Vec};
+use soroban_sdk::{contract, contractimpl, Address, BytesN, Env, String, Vec};
 
 #[contract]
 pub struct IdentityRegistryContract;
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ impl IdentityRegistryContract {
         contract::remove_moderator(&env, &moderator)
     }
 
+    pub fn upgrade_contract(env: Env, new_wasm_hash: BytesN<32>) -> Result<(), RegistryError> {
+        contract::upgrade_contract(&env, new_wasm_hash)
+    }
+
     /// Batch Add an expert to the whitelist (Admin only)
     pub fn batch_add_experts(env: Env, experts: Vec<Address>) -> Result<(), RegistryError> {
         contract::batch_add_experts(env, experts)
diff --git a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/test.rs b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/test.rs
index 5fc4277..f45631f 100644
--- a/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/test.rs
+++ b/contracts/identity-registry-contract/src/test.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::{storage, types::ExpertStatus};
 use crate::{IdentityRegistryContract, IdentityRegistryContractClient};
 use soroban_sdk::testutils::{AuthorizedFunction, AuthorizedInvocation, Events};
 use soroban_sdk::{
-    testutils::Address as _, vec, Address, Env, IntoVal, String, Symbol, TryIntoVal,
+    testutils::Address as _, vec, Address, BytesN, Env, IntoVal, String, Symbol, TryIntoVal,
 };
 
 #[test]
@@ -50,6 +50,37 @@ fn test_data_uri_persisted_on_verify() {
     });
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_upgrade_contract_preserves_expert_directory_state() {
+    let env = Env::default();
+    env.mock_all_auths();
+
+    let contract_id = env.register(IdentityRegistryContract, ());
+    let client = IdentityRegistryContractClient::new(&env, &contract_id);
+
+    let admin = Address::generate(&env);
+    let expert = Address::generate(&env);
+    let uri = String::from_str(&env, "ipfs://preserved");
+
+    client.init(&admin);
+    client.add_expert(&admin, &expert, &uri, &0u32);
+
+    assert_eq!(client.get_status(&expert), ExpertStatus::Verified);
+    assert_eq!(client.get_expert_by_index(&0u64), expert.clone());
+
+    let new_wasm_hash = BytesN::from_array(&env, &[1u8; 32]);
+    let res = client.try_upgrade_contract(&new_wasm_hash);
+    assert!(res.is_ok());
+
+    assert_eq!(client.get_status(&expert), ExpertStatus::Verified);
+    assert_eq!(client.get_expert_by_index(&0u64), expert.clone());
+
+    env.as_contract(&contract_id, || {
+        let rec = storage::get_expert_record(&env, &expert);
+        assert_eq!(rec.data_uri, uri);
+    });
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_update_profile_updates_uri_and_emits_event() {
     let env = Env::default();