diff --git a/common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/model/MConfigType.java b/common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/model/MConfigType.java
index de05332b..a9f7dad0 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/model/MConfigType.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/model/MConfigType.java
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ public enum MConfigType {
   /** Unknown config type */
   OTHER,
 
+  @Deprecated
+  // NOTE: only exists to support the connector data upgrade path
+  CONNECTION,
+
   /** link config type */
   LINK,
 
diff --git a/repository/repository-common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/repository/common/CommonRepositoryHandler.java b/repository/repository-common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/repository/common/CommonRepositoryHandler.java
index 42c40e65..0a4ed6bb 100644
--- a/repository/repository-common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/repository/common/CommonRepositoryHandler.java
+++ b/repository/repository-common/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/repository/common/CommonRepositoryHandler.java
@@ -1979,6 +1979,9 @@ public void loadDriverConfigs(List<MConfig> driverConfig,
           }
           driverConfig.add(mDriverConfig);
           break;
+        case CONNECTION:
+          // do nothing
+           break;
         default:
           throw new SqoopException(CommonRepositoryError.COMMON_0004,
               "connector-" + fromConnectorId + ":" + configType);
@@ -2107,6 +2110,7 @@ public void loadConnectorConfigTypes(List<MConfig> linkConfig, List<MConfig> fro
 
       MConfigType mConfigType = MConfigType.valueOf(configType);
       switch (mConfigType) {
+        case CONNECTION:
         case LINK:
           if (linkConfig.size() != configIndex) {
             throw new SqoopException(CommonRepositoryError.COMMON_0007,