A method includes providing a relational database and at least one schema describing tables of the relational database with columns of the relational database, providing an application executing read/write or delete jobs in the relational database where the application is running in a cloud environment, upgrading the application running in the cloud environment to a new version of the application. The application uses pods to perform the steps of the upgrading. The method includes replacing an old version of the application using an intermediate version of the application, where the intermediate version of the application behaves differently depending on values of definitions in a new supportive column created in the relational database, and replacing the intermediate version of the application with pods using the new version of the application.