diff --git a/src/tools/note-tools.ts b/src/tools/note-tools.ts
index d6e8137..1c616e8 100644
--- a/src/tools/note-tools.ts
+++ b/src/tools/note-tools.ts
@@ -905,7 +905,8 @@ export class NoteTools {
 		path: string,
 		edits: SectionEdit[],
 		ifMatch?: string,
-		validateLinks: boolean = true
+		validateLinks: boolean = true,
+		force: boolean = false
 	): Promise<CallToolResult> {
 		// Validate path
 		if (!path || path.trim() === '') {
@@ -930,6 +931,20 @@ export class NoteTools {
 			};
 		}
 
+		// Require ifMatch unless force is true
+		if (!ifMatch && !force) {
+			return {
+				content: [{
+					type: "text",
+					text: JSON.stringify({
+						error: 'Version check required',
+						message: 'The ifMatch parameter is required to prevent overwriting concurrent changes. First call read_note with withLineNumbers:true to get the versionId, then pass it as ifMatch. To bypass this check, set force:true (not recommended).'
+					}, null, 2)
+				}],
+				isError: true
+			};
+		}
+
 		// Resolve file
 		const file = PathUtils.resolveFile(this.app, path);
 		
diff --git a/tests/note-tools.test.ts b/tests/note-tools.test.ts
index 60981fe..68a12de 100644
--- a/tests/note-tools.test.ts
+++ b/tests/note-tools.test.ts
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ Some text
 
 			const result = await noteTools.updateSections('test.md', [
 				{ startLine: 2, endLine: 3, content: 'New Line 2\nNew Line 3' }
-			]);
+			], undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 			expect(result.isError).toBeUndefined();
 			expect(mockVault.modify).toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ Some text
 
 			const result = await noteTools.updateSections('test.md', [
 				{ startLine: 1, endLine: 10, content: 'New' }
-			]);
+			], undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 			expect(result.isError).toBe(true);
 			expect(result.content[0].text).toContain('Invalid line range');
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ Some text
 
 			const result = await noteTools.updateSections('test.md', [
 				{ startLine: 1, endLine: 1, content: 'New' }
-			]);
+			], undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 			expect(result.isError).toBe(true);
 			expect(result.content[0].text).toContain('Update error');
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ Some text
 
 			const result = await noteTools.updateSections('nonexistent.md', [
 				{ startLine: 1, endLine: 1, content: 'New' }
-			]);
+			], undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 			expect(result.isError).toBe(true);
 			expect(result.content[0].text).toContain('not found');
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ Some text
 
 			const result = await noteTools.updateSections('folder', [
 				{ startLine: 1, endLine: 1, content: 'New' }
-			]);
+			], undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 			expect(result.isError).toBe(true);
 			expect(result.content[0].text).toContain('not a file');
@@ -1365,7 +1365,7 @@ Some text
 				mockVault.read = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue('Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3');
 				mockVault.modify = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 
-				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits);
+				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits, undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 				expect(result.isError).toBeFalsy();
 				const parsed = JSON.parse(result.content[0].text);
@@ -1381,7 +1381,7 @@ Some text
 				mockVault.read = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue('Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3');
 				mockVault.modify = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 
-				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits);
+				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits, undefined, true, true); // validateLinks=true, force=true
 
 				expect(result.isError).toBeFalsy();
 				const parsed = JSON.parse(result.content[0].text);
@@ -1398,7 +1398,7 @@ Some text
 				mockVault.read = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue('Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3');
 				mockVault.modify = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 
-				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits, undefined, false);
+				const result = await noteTools.updateSections('sections-test.md', edits, undefined, false, true); // validateLinks=false, force=true
 
 				expect(result.isError).toBeFalsy();
 				const parsed = JSON.parse(result.content[0].text);