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Tequila, the serine protease is involved in sleep-dependent memory consolidation in Drosophila Sleep is a vital physiological phenomenon observed amongst almost all organisms. Although its exact purpose remains elusive, sleep has been linked to memory consolidation. In our present study, we investigated the role of sleep quality on sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Previous studies have shown that tequila , a serine protease, affects long-term memory consolidation in flies. In the present study we identified that the hypomorphic mutation in the tequila gene ( tequila f01792 ) leads to increased day-time sleep fragmentation at a very early age in male flies. Intrigued by this observation, we delved into further understanding the role of tequila in sleep-dependent memory consolidation by manipulating sleep duration using pharmacological methods such as GABA-A agonist. Inducing sleep using GABA-A agonist resulted in improved sleep during the day. This further led to a significant improvement in the long-term memory of these flies when compared to the vehicle-treated flies. In conclusion, day-time dependent sleep fragmentation is possibly one of the reasons behind the long-term memory deficit observed in tequila f01792 flies. Furthermore, we observed that these flies had disturbed sleep only during the day-time whereas, in the night the flies had increased sleep duration. The increased sleep fragmentation during the day-time possibly leads to memory impairment and rescuing sleep fragmentation partially rescues memory consolidation. These outcomes suggest that the tequila gene is involved in sleep-dependent memory consolidation.Statement of Significance Sleep is widely conserved across animal kingdom, although its duration varies between species. While the exact need for sleep remains unclear, its positive influence on memory is well documented. Studies have shown the interplay between sleep and memory, where learning enhances sleep drive and subsequently adequate sleep aids memory formation. However, for the first time our study highlights the importance of sleep quality in memory consolidation. The tequila f01792 mutant flies, although showed no effect on sleep duration, had fragmented day-sleep, which ultimately plays a significant role in memory consolidation. Thus, it is not just the quantity of sleep, but also the quality and consolidation of sleep are important for memory consolidation. https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0566-24.2025