Model updating Q2concerns the modification of an existing but inaccurate model with measured data. For models characterized by quadratic pencils, the measured data usually involve incomplete knowledge of natural frequencies, mode shapes, or other spectral information. In conducting the updating, it is often desirable to match only the part of observed data without tampering with the other part of unmeasured or unknown eigenstructure inherent in the original model. Such an updating, if possible, is said to have no spillover. This paper studies the spillover phenomenon in the updating of quadratic pencils. In particular, it is shown that an updating with no spillover is always possible for undamped quadratic pencils, whereas spillover for damped quadratic pencils is generally unpreventable.