diff --git a/marconi/storage/base.py b/marconi/storage/base.py
index 4d8d0eea..f1ee329f 100644
--- a/marconi/storage/base.py
+++ b/marconi/storage/base.py
@@ -99,32 +99,19 @@ class QueueBase(ControllerBase):
         pass
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def create(self, name, tenant=None, ttl=MIN_TTL, **metadata):
+    def upsert(self, name, tenant=None, metadata=None):
         """
-        Base method for queue creation.
+        This methods handles both creates and updates
+        operations for queues.
 
         :param name: The queue name
         :param tenant: Tenant id
-        :param ttl: Number of seconds the server
-            will keep messages for this queue.
         :param metadata: Arbitrary metadata
+        :returns: True if a queue was created and False
+            if it was updated.
         """
-
-        m = (_("TTL must be an integer between %(min)s and %(max)s") %
-             dict(min=MIN_TTL, max=MAX_TTL))
-        assert (ttl >= MIN_TTL and ttl <= MAX_TTL), m
-
-    @abc.abstractmethod
-    def update(self, name, tenant=None, **metadata):
-        """
-        Base method for queue update.
-
-        :param name: The queue name
-        :param tenant: Tenant id
-        :param metadata: Extra parameters defining
-            the new metadata for this queue.
-        """
-        pass
+        msg = _("Metadata should be an instance of dict")
+        assert isinstance(metadata, dict), msg
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def delete(self, name, tenant=None):
diff --git a/marconi/tests/storage/base.py b/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
index 6fb9b7ba..a7ae1d11 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
@@ -46,26 +46,29 @@ class QueueControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
 
     def test_queue_lifecycle(self):
         # Test Queue Creation
-        self.controller.create("test", tenant=self.tenant,
-                               ttl=60, topic="test_queue")
+        created = self.controller.upsert("test", tenant=self.tenant,
+                                         metadata=dict(topic="test_queue"))
+
+        self.assertTrue(created)
 
         # Test Queue retrieval
         queue = self.controller.get("test", tenant=self.tenant)
         self.assertEqual(queue["name"], "test")
-        self.assertEqual(queue["ttl"], 60)
 
         # Test Queue Update
-        self.controller.update("tests", name="test1", tenant=self.tenant)
-        queue = self.controller.get("test1", tenant=self.tenant)
-        self.assertEqual(queue["ttl"], 60)
+        created = self.controller.upsert("test", tenant=self.tenant,
+                                         metadata=dict(meta="test_meta"))
+        self.assertFalse(created)
+
+        queue = self.controller.get("test", tenant=self.tenant)
+        self.assertEqual(queue["metadata"]["meta"], "test_meta")
 
         # Test Queue Deletion
-        self.controller.delete("test1", tenant=self.tenant)
+        self.controller.delete("test", tenant=self.tenant)
 
         # Test DoesNotExist Exception
         self.assertRaises(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist,
-                          self.controller.get, "test1",
-                          tenant=self.tenant)
+                          self.controller.get, "test", tenant=self.tenant)
 
 
 class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
diff --git a/marconi/tests/storage/test_base.py b/marconi/tests/storage/test_base.py
index 17a1e347..43639a55 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/storage/test_base.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/storage/test_base.py
@@ -41,12 +41,9 @@ class QueueController(storage.QueueBase):
     def get(self, name, tenant=None):
         super(QueueController, self).get(name, tenant=tenant)
 
-    def create(self, name, tenant=None, ttl=None, **metadata):
-        super(QueueController, self).create(name, tenant=tenant,
-                                            ttl=ttl, **metadata)
-
-    def update(self, name, tenant=None, **metadata):
-        super(QueueController, self).update(name, tenant=tenant, **metadata)
+    def upsert(self, name, tenant=None, metadata=None):
+        super(QueueController, self).upsert(name, tenant=tenant,
+                                            metadata=metadata)
 
     def delete(self, name, tenant=None):
         super(QueueController, self).delete(name, tenant=tenant)
@@ -66,13 +63,8 @@ class TestQueueBase(suite.TestSuite):
         self.driver = Driver()
         self.controller = self.driver.queue_controller
 
-    def test_create(self):
-        self.assertRaises(AssertionError, self.controller.create,
-                          "test", ttl=30)
+    def test_upsert(self):
+        self.assertRaises(AssertionError, self.controller.upsert,
+                          "test", metadata=[])
 
-        self.assertRaises(AssertionError, self.controller.create,
-                          "test", ttl=1209601)
-
-        self.assertIsNone(self.controller.create("test", ttl=60))
-        self.assertIsNone(self.controller.create("test", ttl=120))
-        self.assertIsNone(self.controller.create("test", ttl=1209600))
+        self.assertIsNone(self.controller.upsert("test", metadata={}))