diff --git a/_argoapp_patch.yaml b/_argoapp_patch.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 4a1ceffe..00000000
--- a/_argoapp_patch.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-spec:
-  syncWindows:
-    - kind: deny
-      schedule: '0 * * * *'
-      duration: 24h
-      namespaces:
-      - '*'
diff --git a/admin/hooks-1.31.sh b/admin/hooks-1.31.sh
index 0c8bfe99..ea6dd3a8 100644
--- a/admin/hooks-1.31.sh
+++ b/admin/hooks-1.31.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ pre_control_plane_upgrade_cluster() {
 post_control_plane_upgrade_cluster() {
   # delete previous root app controlled by kubezero module
   kubectl delete application kubezero-git-sync -n argocd || true
-  kubectl delete appproject kubezero -n argocd || true
+
+  # Patch appproject to keep SyncWindow in place
+  kubectl patch appproject kubezero -n argocd --type json -p='[{"op": "remove", "path": "/metadata/labels"}]' || true
+  kubectl patch appproject kubezero -n argocd --type json -p='[{"op": "remove", "path": "/metadata/annotations"}]' || true
 }
 
 
diff --git a/admin/upgrade_cluster.sh b/admin/upgrade_cluster.sh
index 8dc0dda3..d249d454 100755
--- a/admin/upgrade_cluster.sh
+++ b/admin/upgrade_cluster.sh
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ echo "Checking that all pods in kube-system are running ..."
 [ "$ARGOCD" == "true" ] && disable_argo
 
 # Check if we already have all controllers on the current version
-OLD_CONTROLLERS=$(kubectl get nodes -l "node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane=" --no-headers=true | grep -cv $KUBE_VERSION || true)
+#OLD_CONTROLLERS=$(kubectl get nodes -l "node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane=" --no-headers=true | grep -cv $KUBE_VERSION || true)
 
-# All controllers already on current version
 if [ "$OLD_CONTROLLERS" == "0" ]; then
+  # All controllers already on current version
   control_plane_upgrade finalize_cluster_upgrade
-# Otherwise run control plane upgrade
 else
+  # Otherwise run control plane upgrade
   control_plane_upgrade kubeadm_upgrade
 fi
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ read -r
 #[ "$ARGOCD" == "true" ] && kubectl edit app kubezero -n argocd || kubectl edit cm kubezero-values -n kubezero
 
 # upgrade modules
-control_plane_upgrade "apply_kubezero apply_network, apply_addons, apply_storage, apply_operators"
+control_plane_upgrade "apply_kubezero, apply_network, apply_addons, apply_storage, apply_operators"
 
 echo "Checking that all pods in kube-system are running ..."
 waitSystemPodsRunning