diff --git a/hack/dev-values.yaml b/hack/dev-values.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 11422f1f8..000000000
--- a/hack/dev-values.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-extraArgs:
-  - --debug
-
-installCRDs: false
-
-orchestrator:
-  topologyPassword: password1
-  antiAffinity: soft
-  replicas: 1
diff --git a/hack/development/stress_test.py b/hack/development/stress_test.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..419cd61fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hack/development/stress_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+
+# Description:
+# A simple python script that generates lots of queries to stress the MySQL server.
+#
+# Notes:
+# pip install mysql-connector-python
+#
+# Examples:
+# ./stress_test.py mysql://root:not-so-secure@127.0.0.1:33066/test --times=100
+
+import time
+import sys
+import argparse
+from urllib.parse import urlparse
+
+import mysql.connector
+
+
+class Base:
+    def __init__(self, db, args):
+        self.db = db
+        self.args = args
+
+    def __call__(self):
+        self.init_sql()
+
+        rows = self.args.rows
+        total_time = time.time()
+        for i in range(int(self.args.times)):
+            start_time = time.time()
+            self.test(i)
+            print ('{}: round: {} rows: {} to {} time: {}'.format(self.__class__.__name__,
+                i, i*rows, (i+1)*rows, time.time()-start_time))
+
+    def init_sql(self):
+        pass
+
+    def test(self, epoch):
+        pass
+
+
+class InsertStress(Base):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.table_name = 'test'
+
+    def init_sql(self):
+        cursor = self.db.cursor()
+        cursor.execute('CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {} '
+                       '(f1 VARCHAR(30), f2 VARCHAR(30), f3 VARCHAR(30))'.format(self.table_name))
+        self.db.commit()
+
+    def test(self, epoch):
+        sql = "INSERT INTO {} (f1, f2, f3) VALUES (%s, %s, %s)".format(self.table_name)
+        val = []
+        for i in range(self.args.rows):
+            val.append(("l_"+str(i), "f_"+str(i), "a_"+str(i)))
+
+
+        mycursor = self.db.cursor()
+        mycursor.executemany(sql, val)
+        self.db.commit()
+
+
+def mysql_connection(dsn):
+    dsn = urlparse(dsn)
+    db_name = dsn.path.strip('/')
+    if len(db_name)==0:
+        raise RuntimeError('Database name not corectly specifyied: {}'.format(db_name))
+
+    try:
+        db = mysql.connector.connect(
+            host=dsn.hostname,
+            port=dsn.port,
+            user=dsn.username,
+            passwd=dsn.password,
+            database=db_name,
+        )
+    except mysql.connector.errors.ProgrammingError as e:
+        if 'Unknown database' in e.msg:
+            db = mysql.connector.connect(
+                host=dsn.hostname,
+                port=dsn.port,
+                user=dsn.username,
+                passwd=dsn.password,
+            )
+            cursor = db.cursor()
+            cursor.execute('CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS {}'.format(db_name))
+            cursor.execute('USE {}'.format(db_name))
+            db.commit()
+        else:
+            raise
+
+    return db
+
+
+def parse_args():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Stress test for mysql.')
+    parser.add_argument('DSN', type=str,
+                        help='Data source name that contains user and password.')
+    parser.add_argument('--rows', type=int, default=100000, help='The number of rows to execute')
+    parser.add_argument('--times', type=int, default=100,
+                        help='The number of times to execute the queries')
+
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
+def main():
+    args = parse_args()
+    db = mysql_connection(args.DSN)
+
+    # run insert stress tests
+    InsertStress(db, args)()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/pkg/controller/mysqlcluster/internal/syncer/statefullset.go b/pkg/controller/mysqlcluster/internal/syncer/statefullset.go
index 1e2549f3f..7e9bccfa0 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/mysqlcluster/internal/syncer/statefullset.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/mysqlcluster/internal/syncer/statefullset.go
@@ -407,6 +407,9 @@ func (s *sfsSyncer) ensureContainersSpec() []core.Container {
 			"--database", HelperDbName,
 			"--table", "heartbeat",
 			"--defaults-file", fmt.Sprintf("%s/client.cnf", ConfVolumeMountPath),
+			// it's important to exit when exceeding more than 20 failed attempts otherwise
+			// pt-heartbeat will run forever using old connection.
+			"--fail-successive-errors=20",
 		},
 	)
 	heartbeat.Resources = ensureResources(containerHeartBeatName)
diff --git a/pkg/sidecar/appclone.go b/pkg/sidecar/appclone.go
index 3921f325c..9aa2cd9c8 100644
--- a/pkg/sidecar/appclone.go
+++ b/pkg/sidecar/appclone.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func cloneFromBucket(initBucket string) error {
 func cloneFromSource(cfg *Config, host string) error {
 	log.Info("cloning from node", "host", host)
 
-	backupBody, err := requestABackup(cfg, host, serverBackupEndpoint)
+	response, err := requestABackup(cfg, host, serverBackupEndpoint)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("fail to get backup: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func cloneFromSource(cfg *Config, host string) error {
 	// nolint: gosec
 	xbstream := exec.Command("xbstream", "-x", "-C", dataDir)
 
-	xbstream.Stdin = backupBody
+	xbstream.Stdin = response.Body
 	xbstream.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
 	if err := xbstream.Start(); err != nil {
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ func cloneFromSource(cfg *Config, host string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("xbstream wait error: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	if err := checkBackupTrailers(response); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sidecar/apptakebackup.go b/pkg/sidecar/apptakebackup.go
index 79dd72b9c..776ebf209 100644
--- a/pkg/sidecar/apptakebackup.go
+++ b/pkg/sidecar/apptakebackup.go
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ func RunTakeBackupCommand(cfg *Config, srcHost, destBucket string) error {
 }
 
 func pushBackupFromTo(cfg *Config, srcHost, destBucket string) error {
+	tmpDestBucket := fmt.Sprintf("%s.tmp", destBucket)
 
-	backupBody, err := requestABackup(cfg, srcHost, serverBackupEndpoint)
+	response, err := requestABackup(cfg, srcHost, serverBackupEndpoint)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("getting backup: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -42,9 +43,9 @@ func pushBackupFromTo(cfg *Config, srcHost, destBucket string) error {
 
 	// nolint: gosec
 	rclone := exec.Command("rclone",
-		fmt.Sprintf("--config=%s", rcloneConfigFile), "rcat", destBucket)
+		fmt.Sprintf("--config=%s", rcloneConfigFile), "rcat", tmpDestBucket)
 
-	gzip.Stdin = backupBody
+	gzip.Stdin = response.Body
 	gzip.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	rclone.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
@@ -66,11 +67,33 @@ func pushBackupFromTo(cfg *Config, srcHost, destBucket string) error {
 
 	// wait for both commands to finish successful
 	for i := 1; i <= 2; i++ {
-		if err := <-errChan; err != nil {
+		if err = <-errChan; err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err = checkBackupTrailers(response); err != nil {
+		// backup failed so delete it from remote
+		log.Info("backup was partially taken", "trailers", response.Trailer)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("backup was taken successfully now move, now move it to permanent URL")
+
+	// the backup was a success
+	// remove .tmp extension
+	// nolint: gosec
+	rcMove := exec.Command("rclone",
+		fmt.Sprintf("--config=%s", rcloneConfigFile), "moveto", tmpDestBucket, destBucket)
+
+	if err = rcMove.Start(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("final move failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if err = rcMove.Wait(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("final move failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sidecar/server.go b/pkg/sidecar/server.go
index 4e7bad43d..4f7c607da 100644
--- a/pkg/sidecar/server.go
+++ b/pkg/sidecar/server.go
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 )
 
+const (
+	backupStatusTrailer = "X-Backup-Status"
+	backupSuccessfull   = "Success"
+	backupFailed        = "Failed"
+)
+
 type server struct {
 	cfg *Config
 	http.Server
@@ -79,6 +85,7 @@ func (s *server) backupHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/octet-stream")
 	w.Header().Set("Connection", "keep-alive")
+	w.Header().Set("Trailer", backupStatusTrailer)
 
 	// nolint: gosec
 	xtrabackup := exec.Command("xtrabackup", "--backup", "--slave-info", "--stream=xbstream",
@@ -112,13 +119,16 @@ func (s *server) backupHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	flusher.Flush()
-
 	if err := xtrabackup.Wait(); err != nil {
 		log.Error(err, "failed waiting for xtrabackup to finish")
+		w.Header().Set(backupStatusTrailer, backupFailed)
 		http.Error(w, "xtrabackup failed", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
+
+	// success
+	w.Header().Set(backupStatusTrailer, backupSuccessfull)
+	flusher.Flush()
 }
 
 func (s *server) isAuthenticated(r *http.Request) bool {
@@ -137,3 +147,49 @@ func maxClients(h http.Handler, n int) http.Handler {
 		h.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 	})
 }
+
+// requestABackup connects to specified host and endpoint and gets the backup
+func requestABackup(cfg *Config, host, endpoint string) (*http.Response, error) {
+	log.Info("initialize a backup", "host", host, "endpoint", endpoint)
+
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", fmt.Sprintf(
+		"http://%s:%d%s", host, serverPort, endpoint), nil)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fail to create request: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// set authentification user and password
+	req.SetBasicAuth(cfg.BackupUser, cfg.BackupPassword)
+
+	client := &http.Client{}
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil || resp.StatusCode != 200 {
+		status := "unknown"
+		if resp != nil {
+			status = resp.Status
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fail to get backup: %s, code: %s", err, status)
+	}
+
+	return resp, nil
+}
+
+func checkBackupTrailers(resp *http.Response) error {
+	if values, ok := resp.Trailer[backupStatusTrailer]; !ok || !stringInSlice(backupSuccessfull, values) {
+		// backup is failed, remove from remote
+		return fmt.Errorf("backup failed to be taken: no 'Success' trailer found")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func stringInSlice(a string, list []string) bool {
+	for _, b := range list {
+		if b == a {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sidecar/util.go b/pkg/sidecar/util.go
index 49393d39d..9ac33bb12 100644
--- a/pkg/sidecar/util.go
+++ b/pkg/sidecar/util.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"net/http"
 	"os"
 
 	// add mysql driver
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ func runQuery(cfg *Config, q string, args ...interface{}) error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	log.V(1).Info("running query", "query", q, "args", args)
+	log.V(1).Info("running query", "query", q)
 	if _, err := db.Exec(q, args...); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -86,32 +85,6 @@ func copyFile(src, dst string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// requestABackup connects to specified host and endpoint and gets the backup
-func requestABackup(cfg *Config, host, endpoint string) (io.Reader, error) {
-	log.Info("initialize a backup", "host", host, "endpoint", endpoint)
-
-	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d%s", host, serverPort, endpoint), nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fail to create request: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	// set authentification user and password
-	req.SetBasicAuth(cfg.BackupUser, cfg.BackupPassword)
-
-	client := &http.Client{}
-
-	resp, err := client.Do(req)
-	if err != nil || resp.StatusCode != 200 {
-		status := "unknown"
-		if resp != nil {
-			status = resp.Status
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fail to get backup: %s, code: %s", err, status)
-	}
-
-	return resp.Body, nil
-}
-
 // shouldBootstrapNode checks if the mysql data is at the first initialization
 func shouldBootstrapNode() bool {
 	_, err := os.Open(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/%s.CSV", dataDir,