diff --git a/sqlit/domains/connections/providers/sqlite/adapter.py b/sqlit/domains/connections/providers/sqlite/adapter.py
index 2b7315f4..f59dbdaf 100644
--- a/sqlit/domains/connections/providers/sqlite/adapter.py
+++ b/sqlit/domains/connections/providers/sqlite/adapter.py
@@ -220,6 +220,9 @@ def execute_query(self, conn: Any, query: str, max_rows: int | None = None) -> t
             else:
                 rows = cursor.fetchall()
                 truncated = False
+            # DML with RETURNING produces a result set but also writes — persist it.
+            if conn.in_transaction:
+                conn.commit()
             return columns, [tuple(row) for row in rows], truncated
         return [], [], False
 
diff --git a/sqlit/domains/query/app/query_service.py b/sqlit/domains/query/app/query_service.py
index b458a5bd..e22fe345 100644
--- a/sqlit/domains/query/app/query_service.py
+++ b/sqlit/domains/query/app/query_service.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 # Query types that return result sets (SELECT-like queries)
 SELECT_KEYWORDS = frozenset(["SELECT", "WITH", "SHOW", "DESCRIBE", "EXPLAIN", "PRAGMA"])
 
+# DML statements that may carry a RETURNING clause — when present they produce a result set.
+_DML_KEYWORDS = frozenset(["INSERT", "UPDATE", "DELETE", "MERGE"])
+_RETURNING_RE = re.compile(r"(?is)\bRETURNING\b\s+\S")
+
 # Regex for parsing USE database statements
 # Matches: USE dbname, USE [dbname], USE `dbname`, USE "dbname"
 _USE_PATTERN = re.compile(
@@ -93,7 +97,12 @@ def classify(self, query: str) -> QueryKind:
             if non_comment_lines:
                 first_line = non_comment_lines[0].upper()
                 first_word = first_line.split()[0] if first_line else ""
-                return QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS if first_word in SELECT_KEYWORDS else QueryKind.NON_QUERY
+                if first_word in SELECT_KEYWORDS:
+                    return QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS
+                # DML with a RETURNING clause produces a result set too.
+                if first_word in _DML_KEYWORDS and _RETURNING_RE.search(stmt):
+                    return QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS
+                return QueryKind.NON_QUERY
 
         return QueryKind.NON_QUERY
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_sqlite_returning.py b/tests/unit/test_sqlite_returning.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bb58850d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_sqlite_returning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""Regression tests for issue #147: SQLite UPDATE ... RETURNING crashes on commit."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sqlite3
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from sqlit.domains.connections.providers.sqlite.adapter import SQLiteAdapter
+from sqlit.domains.query.app.query_service import KeywordQueryAnalyzer, QueryKind
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def jobs_db(tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
+    """A tiny SQLite DB with a `jobs` table for RETURNING tests."""
+    db = tmp_path / "jobs.db"
+    conn = sqlite3.connect(str(db))
+    conn.execute("CREATE TABLE jobs (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, status TEXT)")
+    conn.executemany("INSERT INTO jobs (id, status) VALUES (?, ?)", [(1, "new"), (2, "new")])
+    conn.commit()
+    conn.close()
+    return db
+
+
+def test_classifier_recognizes_update_returning_as_returns_rows():
+    """`UPDATE ... RETURNING` produces a result set, so the analyzer must classify it as RETURNS_ROWS."""
+    analyzer = KeywordQueryAnalyzer()
+    sql = "UPDATE jobs SET status = status WHERE id = 1 RETURNING id"
+    assert analyzer.classify(sql) == QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS
+
+
+def test_classifier_recognizes_insert_returning_as_returns_rows():
+    analyzer = KeywordQueryAnalyzer()
+    sql = "INSERT INTO jobs (id, status) VALUES (3, 'new') RETURNING id"
+    assert analyzer.classify(sql) == QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS
+
+
+def test_classifier_recognizes_delete_returning_as_returns_rows():
+    analyzer = KeywordQueryAnalyzer()
+    sql = "DELETE FROM jobs WHERE id = 1 RETURNING id"
+    assert analyzer.classify(sql) == QueryKind.RETURNS_ROWS
+
+
+def test_classifier_plain_update_is_non_query():
+    """Plain DML without RETURNING must still be NON_QUERY (sanity check we don't over-correct)."""
+    analyzer = KeywordQueryAnalyzer()
+    assert analyzer.classify("UPDATE jobs SET status = 'done'") == QueryKind.NON_QUERY
+
+
+def test_sqlite_execute_query_runs_update_returning_and_persists(jobs_db: Path):
+    """UPDATE ... RETURNING via execute_query must return the row AND persist the change."""
+    adapter = SQLiteAdapter()
+    conn = sqlite3.connect(str(jobs_db))
+    try:
+        columns, rows, _ = adapter.execute_query(
+            conn,
+            "UPDATE jobs SET status = 'done' WHERE id = 1 RETURNING id, status",
+        )
+        assert columns == ["id", "status"]
+        assert rows == [(1, "done")]
+    finally:
+        conn.close()
+
+    # Verify the write was actually committed by opening a fresh connection.
+    verify = sqlite3.connect(str(jobs_db))
+    try:
+        result = verify.execute("SELECT status FROM jobs WHERE id = 1").fetchone()
+        assert result == ("done",), f"UPDATE ... RETURNING did not persist; got {result!r}"
+    finally:
+        verify.close()