# MariaDB Enterprise Kubernetes Operator 26.03.2

**Release date**: 08 April 2026

If you are running in a version prior to 26.03.x, **please follow the** [**UPDATE GUIDE**](https://mariadb.com/docs/tools/mariadb-enterprise-operator/updates/update-26.03) to ensure a safe transition.

This is a patch release which includes the following fixes:

* **K8SDKR-205**: You can now define container `lifecycle` hooks (`preStop` and `postStart`) directly within the `MaxScale` and `MariaDB` custom resources. The operator automatically propagates these configurations to the reconciled pods. This enhancement enables graceful handling of node drains and termination events, allowing you to drain connections or perform preemptive switchovers without disruption.
* **K8SDKR-194**: You can now define `terminationGracePeriodSeconds` to override the standard 30-second Kubernetes default. By decreasing this value, the kubelet issues a `SIGKILL` sooner during pod termination. This can be leveraged if you want `MaxScale` to detect an offline `MariaDB` container at an earlier stage, significantly reducing overall failover time.
* **K8SDKR-192**: Resolved an issue where `MaxScale` pods could initialize in a partially functional state-configuring servers and monitors, but failing to initialize services and listeners. This occurred under specific runtime conditions, such as the unexpected deletion of `mysql.maxscale_config` or `MaxScale` PVCs. The operator now explicitly includes services and listeners during this initialization phase, ensuring reliable recovery and a fully functional configuration

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