diff --git a/superset/daos/tag.py b/superset/daos/tag.py
index c063657ea09af..9ec5755bebc81 100644
--- a/superset/daos/tag.py
+++ b/superset/daos/tag.py
@@ -394,7 +394,11 @@ def create_tag_relationship(
         updated_tagged_objects = {
             (to_object_type(obj[0]), obj[1]) for obj in objects_to_tag
         }
-        tagged_objects_to_delete = current_tagged_objects - updated_tagged_objects
+
+        if not objects_to_tag:
+            tagged_objects_to_delete = current_tagged_objects
+        else:
+            tagged_objects_to_delete = current_tagged_objects - updated_tagged_objects
 
         for object_type, object_id in updated_tagged_objects:
             # create rows for new objects, and skip tags that already exist
diff --git a/superset/tags/commands/create.py b/superset/tags/commands/create.py
index e8311ad520be4..94c262dd26dd2 100644
--- a/superset/tags/commands/create.py
+++ b/superset/tags/commands/create.py
@@ -67,25 +67,23 @@ def validate(self) -> None:
 
 class CreateCustomTagWithRelationshipsCommand(CreateMixin, BaseCommand):
     def __init__(self, data: dict[str, Any], bulk_create: bool = False):
-        self._tag = data["name"]
-        self._objects_to_tag = data.get("objects_to_tag")
-        self._description = data.get("description")
+        self._properties = data.copy()
         self._bulk_create = bulk_create
 
     def run(self) -> None:
         self.validate()
 
         try:
-            tag = TagDAO.get_by_name(self._tag.strip(), TagTypes.custom)
-            if self._objects_to_tag:
-                TagDAO.create_tag_relationship(
-                    objects_to_tag=self._objects_to_tag,
-                    tag=tag,
-                    bulk_create=self._bulk_create,
-                )
+            tag_name = self._properties["name"]
+            tag = TagDAO.get_by_name(tag_name.strip(), TagTypes.custom)
+            TagDAO.create_tag_relationship(
+                objects_to_tag=self._properties.get("objects_to_tag", []),
+                tag=tag,
+                bulk_create=self._bulk_create,
+            )
 
-            if self._description:
-                tag.description = self._description
+            if description := self._properties.get("description"):
+                tag.description = description
 
             db.session.commit()
 
@@ -96,13 +94,13 @@ def run(self) -> None:
     def validate(self) -> None:
         exceptions = []
         # Validate object_id
-        if self._objects_to_tag:
-            if any(obj_id == 0 for obj_type, obj_id in self._objects_to_tag):
+        if objects_to_tag := self._properties.get("objects_to_tag", []):
+            if any(obj_id == 0 for obj_type, obj_id in objects_to_tag):
                 exceptions.append(TagInvalidError())
 
             # Validate object type
             skipped_tagged_objects: list[tuple[str, int]] = []
-            for obj_type, obj_id in self._objects_to_tag:
+            for obj_type, obj_id in objects_to_tag:
                 skipped_tagged_objects = []
                 object_type = to_object_type(obj_type)
 
@@ -117,7 +115,7 @@ def validate(self) -> None:
                     # skip the object if the user doesn't have access
                     skipped_tagged_objects.append((obj_type, obj_id))
 
-            self._objects_to_tag = set(self._objects_to_tag) - set(
+            self._properties["objects_to_tag"] = set(objects_to_tag) - set(
                 skipped_tagged_objects
             )
 
diff --git a/superset/tags/commands/update.py b/superset/tags/commands/update.py
index a13e4e8e7bbb0..597b1980f65c2 100644
--- a/superset/tags/commands/update.py
+++ b/superset/tags/commands/update.py
@@ -38,12 +38,10 @@ def __init__(self, model_id: int, data: dict[str, Any]):
     def run(self) -> Model:
         self.validate()
         if self._model:
-            if self._properties.get("objects_to_tag"):
-                # todo(hugh): can this manage duplication
-                TagDAO.create_tag_relationship(
-                    objects_to_tag=self._properties["objects_to_tag"],
-                    tag=self._model,
-                )
+            TagDAO.create_tag_relationship(
+                objects_to_tag=self._properties["objects_to_tag"],
+                tag=self._model,
+            )
             if description := self._properties.get("description"):
                 self._model.description = description
             if tag_name := self._properties.get("name"):
diff --git a/superset/tags/schemas.py b/superset/tags/schemas.py
index 571a2a03c9e74..a91a5709c16bf 100644
--- a/superset/tags/schemas.py
+++ b/superset/tags/schemas.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class TagObjectSchema(Schema):
     name = fields.String()
     description = fields.String(required=False, allow_none=True)
     objects_to_tag = fields.List(
-        fields.Tuple((fields.String(), fields.Int())), required=False
+        fields.Tuple((fields.String(), fields.Int())),
     )