diff --git a/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/usermetadata/LookupService.java b/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/usermetadata/LookupService.java
index d1e31ac36..fcc79792a 100644
--- a/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/usermetadata/LookupService.java
+++ b/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/usermetadata/LookupService.java
@@ -31,12 +31,14 @@
 public interface LookupService {
     /**
      * Returns the lookup for the given <code>name</code>.
+     * If includeValues = true, we will set the Lookup values with the associated name, otherwise empty set
      *
      * @param name lookup name
+     * @param includeValues whether we should set the values or not in the Lookup Object
      * @return lookup
      */
     @Nullable
-    default Lookup get(final String name) {
+    default Lookup get(final String name, final boolean includeValues) {
         return null;
     }
 
@@ -75,22 +77,20 @@ default Set<String> getValues(final Long lookupId) {
      *
      * @param name   lookup name
      * @param values multiple values
+     * @param includeValues whether to populate the values field in the Lookup Object
      * @return updated lookup
      */
-    @Nullable
-    default Lookup setValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
-        return null;
-    }
 
     /**
      * Saves the lookup value.
      *
      * @param name   lookup name
      * @param values multiple values
+     * @param includeValues whether to include values in the final Lookup Object
      * @return updated lookup
      */
     @Nullable
-    default Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
+    default Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values, boolean includeValues) {
         return null;
     }
 
@@ -99,11 +99,7 @@ default Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
      *
      * @param name  lookup name
      * @param value lookup value
+     * @param includeValues whether to return lookup value in the Lookup Object
      * @return updated lookup
      */
-    @Nullable
-    default Lookup setValue(final String name, final String value) {
-        return null;
-    }
-
 }
diff --git a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/MetacatSmokeSpec.groovy b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/MetacatSmokeSpec.groovy
index 7f961e58e..efd19489f 100644
--- a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/MetacatSmokeSpec.groovy
+++ b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/MetacatSmokeSpec.groovy
@@ -1771,4 +1771,83 @@ class MetacatSmokeSpec extends Specification {
                  'embedded-hive-metastore/invalid/dm/vm',
                  'embedded-hive-metastore/invalid/dm/vm=1']
     }
+
+    def "Test Set tags for all scenarios"() {
+        setup:
+        // The setup already contains the following 7 tags
+        // [data-category:non-customer, test, test_tag, unused, do_not_drop, iceberg_migration_do_not_modify, do_not_rename]
+        def catalogName = "hive-metastore"
+        def databaseName = "default"
+        def catalog = QualifiedName.ofCatalog(catalogName)
+        def database = QualifiedName.ofDatabase(catalogName, databaseName)
+
+        def table1Name = "table1"
+        def table1Tags = ['table1', 'mock'] as Set
+
+        def table2Name = "table2"
+        def table2Tags = ['table2', 'mock'] as Set
+
+        def table3Name = "table3"
+        def table3Tags = ['table3', 'bdow'] as Set
+        when:
+        // add 2 new tags on table1
+        createTable(catalogName, databaseName, table1Name)
+        tagApi.setTableTags(catalogName, databaseName, table1Name, table1Tags)
+        then:
+        tagApi.getTags().size() == 9
+        tagApi.list(['table1', 'mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('mock', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('table1', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        metacatJson.convertValue(api.getTable(catalogName, databaseName, table1Name, false, true, true).getDefinitionMetadata().get('tags'), Set.class) == table1Tags
+        when:
+        // add an existing tag mock but a new tag on table 2
+        createTable(catalogName, databaseName, table2Name)
+        tagApi.setTableTags(catalogName, databaseName, table2Name, table2Tags)
+        then:
+        tagApi.getTags().size() == 10
+        tagApi.list(['table2'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 1
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.list(['table1', 'mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.search('mock', null, null, null).size() == 2
+        tagApi.search('table1', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('table2', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        metacatJson.convertValue(api.getTable(catalogName, databaseName, table2Name, false, true, true).getDefinitionMetadata().get('tags'), Set.class) == table2Tags
+        when:
+        // delete table1, for now even if tag table1 is only applied to table1, we will not remove the tag from our db
+        api.deleteTable(catalogName, databaseName, "table1")
+        then:
+        tagApi.getTags().size() == 10
+        tagApi.list(['table1'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 1
+        tagApi.list(['table2', 'mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.search('mock', null, null, null).size() == 2
+        tagApi.search('table1', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('table2', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        when:
+        // add tags on catalog database and table level through setTags api
+        // create 1 new catalogTag on catalog
+        // create 1 new databaseTag on database
+        // create 2 new tableTags on table3
+        tagApi.setTags(TagCreateRequestDto.builder().name(catalog).tags(['mock', 'catalogTag'] as List<String>).build())
+        tagApi.setTags(TagCreateRequestDto.builder().name(database).tags(['mock', 'databaseTag'] as List<String>).build())
+        createTable(catalogName, databaseName, "table3")
+        def table3 = QualifiedName.ofTable(catalogName, databaseName, table3Name)
+        tagApi.setTags(TagCreateRequestDto.builder().name(table3).tags(table3Tags as List<String>).build())
+        then:
+        tagApi.getTags().size() == 14
+        tagApi.list(['table2', 'mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.list(['table3', 'bdow'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 1
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.TABLE).size() == 2
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.DATABASE).size() == 1
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, QualifiedName.Type.CATALOG).size() == 1
+        tagApi.list(['mock'] as Set<String>, null, null, null, null, null).size() == 4
+        tagApi.search('mock', null, null, null).size() == 4
+        tagApi.search('table3', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('bdow', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        tagApi.search('table2', null, null, null).size() == 1
+        metacatJson.convertValue(api.getTable(catalogName, databaseName, table3Name, false, true, true).getDefinitionMetadata().get('tags'), Set.class) == table3Tags
+        cleanup:
+        api.deleteTable(catalogName, databaseName, "table2")
+        api.deleteTable(catalogName, databaseName, "table3")
+    }
 }
diff --git a/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupService.java b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupService.java
index ca84d53e3..3b0217f7c 100644
--- a/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupService.java
+++ b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupService.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 package com.netflix.metacat.metadata.mysql;
 
-import com.google.common.base.Joiner;
 import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
 import com.netflix.metacat.common.server.model.Lookup;
 import com.netflix.metacat.common.server.properties.Config;
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@
 import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
 import org.springframework.dao.EmptyResultDataAccessException;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcTemplate;
-import org.springframework.jdbc.core.SqlParameterValue;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.GeneratedKeyHolder;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.KeyHolder;
 import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;
@@ -32,6 +30,7 @@
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.sql.Statement;
 import java.sql.Types;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
@@ -50,8 +49,10 @@ public class MySqlLookupService implements LookupService {
             + " values (?,0,?,?,?,now(),now())";
     private static final String SQL_INSERT_LOOKUP_VALUES =
         "insert into lookup_values( lookup_id, values_string) values (?,?)";
-    private static final String SQL_DELETE_LOOKUP_VALUES =
-        "delete from lookup_values where lookup_id=? and values_string in (%s)";
+    private static final String SQL_INSERT_LOOKUP_VALUE_IF_NOT_EXIST =
+        "INSERT INTO lookup_values(lookup_id, values_string) VALUES (?,?) "
+            + "ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE lookup_id=lookup_id, values_string=values_string";
+
     private static final String SQL_GET_LOOKUP_VALUES =
         "select values_string value from lookup_values where lookup_id=?";
     private static final String SQL_GET_LOOKUP_VALUES_BY_NAME =
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ public MySqlLookupService(final Config config, final JdbcTemplate jdbcTemplate)
      */
     @Override
     @Transactional(readOnly = true)
-    public Lookup get(final String name) {
+    public Lookup get(final String name, final boolean includeValues) {
         try {
             return jdbcTemplate.queryForObject(
                 SQL_GET_LOOKUP,
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ public Lookup get(final String name) {
                     lookup.setLastUpdated(rs.getDate("lastUpdated"));
                     lookup.setLastUpdatedBy(rs.getString("lastUpdatedBy"));
                     lookup.setDateCreated(rs.getDate("dateCreated"));
-                    lookup.setValues(getValues(rs.getLong("id")));
+                    lookup.setValues(includeValues ? getValues(rs.getLong("id")) : Collections.EMPTY_SET);
                     return lookup;
                 });
         } catch (EmptyResultDataAccessException e) {
@@ -162,61 +163,22 @@ public Set<String> getValues(final String name) {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Saves the lookup value.
-     *
-     * @param name   lookup name
-     * @param values multiple values
-     * @return returns the lookup with the given name.
-     */
-    @Override
-    public Lookup setValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
-        try {
-            final Lookup lookup = findOrCreateLookupByName(name);
-            final Set<String> inserts;
-            Set<String> deletes = Sets.newHashSet();
-            final Set<String> lookupValues = lookup.getValues();
-            if (lookupValues == null || lookupValues.isEmpty()) {
-                inserts = values;
-            } else {
-                inserts = Sets.difference(values, lookupValues).immutableCopy();
-                deletes = Sets.difference(lookupValues, values).immutableCopy();
-            }
-            lookup.setValues(values);
-            if (!inserts.isEmpty()) {
-                insertLookupValues(lookup.getId(), inserts);
-            }
-            if (!deletes.isEmpty()) {
-                deleteLookupValues(lookup.getId(), deletes);
-            }
-            return lookup;
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            final String message = String.format("Failed to set the lookup values for name %s", name);
-            log.error(message, e);
-            throw new UserMetadataServiceException(message, e);
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void insertLookupValues(final Long id, final Set<String> inserts) {
-        jdbcTemplate.batchUpdate(SQL_INSERT_LOOKUP_VALUES, inserts.stream().map(insert -> new Object[]{id, insert})
+    private void insertLookupValuesIfNotExist(final Long id, final Set<String> inserts) {
+        jdbcTemplate.batchUpdate(SQL_INSERT_LOOKUP_VALUE_IF_NOT_EXIST,
+            inserts.stream().map(insert -> new Object[]{id, insert})
             .collect(Collectors.toList()), new int[]{Types.BIGINT, Types.VARCHAR});
     }
 
-    private void deleteLookupValues(final Long id, final Set<String> deletes) {
-        jdbcTemplate.update(
-            String.format(SQL_DELETE_LOOKUP_VALUES, "'" + Joiner.on("','").skipNulls().join(deletes) + "'"),
-            new SqlParameterValue(Types.BIGINT, id));
-    }
-
     /**
      * findOrCreateLookupByName.
      *
      * @param name name to find or create
+     * @param includeValues whether to include the values in the Lookup Object
      * @return Look up object
      * @throws SQLException sql exception
      */
-    private Lookup findOrCreateLookupByName(final String name) throws SQLException {
-        Lookup lookup = get(name);
+    private Lookup findOrCreateLookupByName(final String name, final boolean includeValues) throws SQLException {
+        Lookup lookup = get(name, includeValues);
         if (lookup == null) {
             final KeyHolder holder = new GeneratedKeyHolder();
             jdbcTemplate.update(connection -> {
@@ -244,20 +206,14 @@ private Lookup findOrCreateLookupByName(final String name) throws SQLException {
      * @return returns the lookup with the given name.
      */
     @Override
-    public Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
+    public Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values, final boolean includeValues) {
         try {
-            final Lookup lookup = findOrCreateLookupByName(name);
-
-            final Set<String> inserts;
-            final Set<String> lookupValues = lookup.getValues();
-            if (lookupValues == null || lookupValues.isEmpty()) {
-                inserts = values;
-                lookup.setValues(values);
-            } else {
-                inserts = Sets.difference(values, lookupValues);
+            final Lookup lookup = findOrCreateLookupByName(name, includeValues);
+            if (!values.isEmpty()) {
+                insertLookupValuesIfNotExist(lookup.getId(), values);
             }
-            if (!inserts.isEmpty()) {
-                insertLookupValues(lookup.getId(), inserts);
+            if (includeValues) {
+                lookup.getValues().addAll(values);
             }
             return lookup;
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -266,16 +222,4 @@ public Lookup addValues(final String name, final Set<String> values) {
             throw new UserMetadataServiceException(message, e);
         }
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Saves the lookup value.
-     *
-     * @param name  lookup name
-     * @param value lookup value
-     * @return returns the lookup with the given name.
-     */
-    @Override
-    public Lookup setValue(final String name, final String value) {
-        return setValues(name, Sets.newHashSet(value));
-    }
 }
diff --git a/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlTagService.java b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlTagService.java
index 8310d11ec..06576daa4 100644
--- a/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlTagService.java
+++ b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlTagService.java
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ public MySqlTagService(
         this.userMetadataService = Preconditions.checkNotNull(userMetadataService, "userMetadataService is required");
     }
 
-    private Lookup addTags(final Set<String> tags) {
+    private Lookup addTags(final Set<String> tags, final boolean includeValues) {
         try {
-            return lookupService.addValues(LOOKUP_NAME_TAG, tags);
+            return lookupService.addValues(LOOKUP_NAME_TAG, tags, includeValues);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             final String message = String.format("Failed adding the tags %s", tags);
             log.error(message, e);
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ public List<QualifiedName> search(
     @Override
     public Set<String> setTags(final QualifiedName name, final Set<String> tags,
                                final boolean updateUserMetadata) {
-        addTags(tags);
+        addTags(tags, false);
         try {
             final TagItem tagItem = findOrCreateTagItemByName(name.toString());
             final Set<String> inserts;
diff --git a/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupServiceSpec.groovy b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupServiceSpec.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..644948913
--- /dev/null
+++ b/metacat-metadata-mysql/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/metadata/mysql/MySqlLookupServiceSpec.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+/*
+ *       Copyright 2017 Netflix, Inc.
+ *          Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *          you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *          You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *              http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *          Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *          distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *          WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *          See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *          limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.netflix.metacat.metadata.mysql
+
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists
+import com.netflix.metacat.common.QualifiedName
+import com.netflix.metacat.common.server.model.Lookup
+import com.netflix.metacat.common.server.properties.Config
+import com.netflix.metacat.testdata.provider.DataDtoProvider
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcTemplate
+import spock.lang.Ignore
+import spock.lang.Specification
+import spock.lang.Unroll
+
+import java.time.Instant
+
+/**
+ * Tests for MysqlUserMetadataService.
+ * TODO: Need to move this to integration-test
+ * @author amajumdar
+ */
+
+class MySqlLookupServiceSpec extends Specification {
+    MySqlLookupService mySqlLookupService
+
+    Config config
+    JdbcTemplate jdbcTemplate
+
+    def setup() {
+        config = Mock(Config)
+        jdbcTemplate = Mock(JdbcTemplate)
+
+        mySqlLookupService = new MySqlLookupService(config, jdbcTemplate)
+    }
+
+    @Unroll
+    def "test includeValues"() {
+        setup:
+        def lookupWithValues = new Lookup(
+            id: 1L,
+            name: 'Test1',
+            values: new HashSet<String>(['tag1', 'tag2']),
+            dateCreated: new Date(),
+            lastUpdated: new Date()
+        )
+        def lookupWithoutValues = new Lookup(
+            id: 2L,
+            name: 'Test2',
+            values: new HashSet<String>([]),
+            dateCreated: new Date(),
+            lastUpdated: new Date()
+        )
+        when:
+        jdbcTemplate.queryForObject(_, _, _, _) >> (includeValues ? lookupWithValues : lookupWithoutValues)
+        def lookUpResult = mySqlLookupService.addValues("tag", tagsToAdd, includeValues)
+
+        then:
+        lookUpResult.values == expectedValues
+        where:
+        tagsToAdd                       | includeValues | expectedValues
+        ['tag1', 'tag2'] as Set<String> |true           | ['tag1', 'tag2'] as Set<String>
+        ['tag1', 'tag2'] as Set<String> |false          | [] as Set<String>
+        ['tag1', 'tag3'] as Set<String> |true           | ['tag1', 'tag2', 'tag3'] as Set<String>
+        ['tag1', 'tag3'] as Set<String> |false          | [] as Set<String>
+        ['tag3', 'tag4'] as Set<String> |true           | ['tag1', 'tag2', 'tag3', 'tag4'] as Set<String>
+        ['tag3', 'tag4'] as Set<String> |false          | [] as Set<String>
+    }
+}