diff --git a/gemfire-core/src/main/java/com/gemstone/gemfire/internal/cache/ExternalTableMetaData.java b/gemfire-core/src/main/java/com/gemstone/gemfire/internal/cache/ExternalTableMetaData.java
index 7358bb78b..b8f6095dc 100644
--- a/gemfire-core/src/main/java/com/gemstone/gemfire/internal/cache/ExternalTableMetaData.java
+++ b/gemfire-core/src/main/java/com/gemstone/gemfire/internal/cache/ExternalTableMetaData.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public ExternalTableMetaData(String entityName,
       String dml,
       String[] dependents,
       String dataSourcePath,
+      String columnTableSorting,
       String driverClass) {
     this.entityName = entityName;
     this.schema = schema;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ public ExternalTableMetaData(String entityName,
     this.dependents = dependents;
     this.dataSourcePath = dataSourcePath;
     this.driverClass = driverClass;
+    this.columnTableSortOrder = columnTableSorting;
   }
 
   public String entityName;
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ public ExternalTableMetaData(String entityName,
   public String shortProvider;
   public String dataSourcePath;
   public String driverClass;
+  public String columnTableSortOrder;
   public String viewText;
   // columns for metadata queries
   public List<Column> columns;
diff --git a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/GfxdSerializable.java b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/GfxdSerializable.java
index ea1eb3480..ce071fefd 100644
--- a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/GfxdSerializable.java
+++ b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/GfxdSerializable.java
@@ -333,4 +333,6 @@ public interface GfxdSerializable extends GfxdDSFID {
   byte COLUMN_FORMAT_DELTA = 115;
 
   byte COLUMN_DELETE_DELTA = 116;
+
+  byte COLUMN_DELETE_CHANGE = 117;
 }
diff --git a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/ddl/resolver/GfxdPartitionByExpressionResolver.java b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/ddl/resolver/GfxdPartitionByExpressionResolver.java
index 19854aa4f..9d21b3181 100644
--- a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/ddl/resolver/GfxdPartitionByExpressionResolver.java
+++ b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/ddl/resolver/GfxdPartitionByExpressionResolver.java
@@ -449,6 +449,14 @@ public String[] getColumnNames() {
     return this.partitionColumnNames;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return the column positions (1-based) of partitioning columns
+   * in the table schema.
+   */
+  public int[] getColumnPositions() {
+    return this.columnPositionsInRow;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public int getPartitioningColumnIndex(String partitionColumn) {
     Integer idx = this.columnToIndexMap.get(partitionColumn);
diff --git a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/distributed/metadata/UpdateQueryInfo.java b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/distributed/metadata/UpdateQueryInfo.java
index a2e0fdf65..a52c1a931 100644
--- a/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/distributed/metadata/UpdateQueryInfo.java
+++ b/gemfirexd/core/src/main/java/com/pivotal/gemfirexd/internal/engine/distributed/metadata/UpdateQueryInfo.java
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@
  */
 package com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.engine.distributed.metadata;
 
+import com.gemstone.gemfire.internal.cache.ExternalTableMetaData;
 import com.gemstone.gemfire.internal.cache.LocalRegion;
 import com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.engine.distributed.utils.GemFireXDUtils;
+import com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.engine.store.GemFireContainer;
 import com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.iapi.error.StandardException;
 import com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.iapi.reference.SQLState;
 import com.pivotal.gemfirexd.internal.iapi.services.io.FormatableBitSet;
@@ -158,6 +160,26 @@ private void checkUpdateFormatSupported() throws StandardException {
           .clear(this.queryType, IS_PRIMARY_KEY_TYPE);
       checkForColumnConstr = false;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * For sorted column batches allow delta insert that is implemented as update plan
+     * It is not necessary to check if its update vs insert since there will be no row in row buffer
+     */
+    boolean isSortedColumnTable = false;
+    LocalRegion region = tqi.getRegion();
+    if (region != null) {
+      GemFireContainer container = (GemFireContainer)region.getUserAttribute();
+      if (container.isPartitioned()) {
+        ExternalTableMetaData md = container.fetchHiveMetaData(false);
+        if (md != null) {
+          isSortedColumnTable = md.columnTableSortOrder.equalsIgnoreCase("ASC") ||
+              md.columnTableSortOrder.equalsIgnoreCase("Ascending") ||
+              md.columnTableSortOrder.equalsIgnoreCase("DESC") ||
+              md.columnTableSortOrder.equalsIgnoreCase("Descending");
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     //ASIF: DISABLE FK Constraint check on query node
     //this.fcd = this.tableQueryInfoList.get(this.updateTargetTableNum).getForeignKeyConstraintDescriptorIfAny();
     for (int i = 0; i < this.updateCols.length; ++i) {
@@ -166,14 +188,14 @@ private void checkUpdateFormatSupported() throws StandardException {
         if (cqi.isTableInfoMissing()) {
           cqi.setMissingTableInfo(tqi);
         }
-        if (cqi.isUsedInPartitioning()) {
+        if (!isSortedColumnTable && cqi.isUsedInPartitioning()) {
           throw StandardException.newException(SQLState.NOT_IMPLEMENTED,
               "Update of partitioning column not supported");
         }
         // For the time being since we are allowing only one table
         // the columns are necessarily part of the lone TableQueryInfo
         // Later the check needs to be more robust
-        if (cqi.isPartOfPrimaryKey(tqi.getPrimaryKeyColumns())) {
+        if (!isSortedColumnTable && cqi.isPartOfPrimaryKey(tqi.getPrimaryKeyColumns())) {
           throw StandardException
               .newException(
                   SQLState.NOT_IMPLEMENTED,