diff --git a/.pending/features/store/4724-Multistore-supp b/.pending/features/store/4724-Multistore-supp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b1fa458f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pending/features/store/4724-Multistore-supp
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#4724 Multistore supports substore migrations upon load.
+New `rootmulti.Store.LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade` method
+Baseapp supports `StoreLoader` to enable various upgrade strategies
+No longer panics if the store to load contains substores that we didn't explicitly mount.
diff --git a/baseapp/baseapp.go b/baseapp/baseapp.go
index 5552d1c01..43a4ab638 100644
--- a/baseapp/baseapp.go
+++ b/baseapp/baseapp.go
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 package baseapp
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"runtime/debug"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store"
+	storetypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/types"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
@@ -41,6 +43,12 @@ const (
 	MainStoreKey = "main"
 )
 
+// StoreLoader defines a customizable function to control how we load the CommitMultiStore
+// from disk. This is useful for state migration, when loading a datastore written with
+// an older version of the software. In particular, if a module changed the substore key name
+// (or removed a substore) between two versions of the software.
+type StoreLoader func(ms sdk.CommitMultiStore) error
+
 // BaseApp reflects the ABCI application implementation.
 type BaseApp struct {
 	// initialized on creation
@@ -48,6 +56,7 @@ type BaseApp struct {
 	name        string               // application name from abci.Info
 	db          dbm.DB               // common DB backend
 	cms         sdk.CommitMultiStore // Main (uncached) state
+	storeLoader StoreLoader          // function to handle store loading, may be overridden with SetStoreLoader()
 	router      sdk.Router           // handle any kind of message
 	queryRouter sdk.QueryRouter      // router for redirecting query calls
 	txDecoder   sdk.TxDecoder        // unmarshal []byte into sdk.Tx
@@ -106,6 +115,7 @@ func NewBaseApp(
 		name:           name,
 		db:             db,
 		cms:            store.NewCommitMultiStore(db),
+		storeLoader:    DefaultStoreLoader,
 		router:         NewRouter(),
 		queryRouter:    NewQueryRouter(),
 		txDecoder:      txDecoder,
@@ -133,12 +143,6 @@ func (app *BaseApp) Logger() log.Logger {
 	return app.logger
 }
 
-// SetCommitMultiStoreTracer sets the store tracer on the BaseApp's underlying
-// CommitMultiStore.
-func (app *BaseApp) SetCommitMultiStoreTracer(w io.Writer) {
-	app.cms.SetTracer(w)
-}
-
 // MountStores mounts all IAVL or DB stores to the provided keys in the BaseApp
 // multistore.
 func (app *BaseApp) MountStores(keys ...sdk.StoreKey) {
@@ -197,13 +201,74 @@ func (app *BaseApp) MountStore(key sdk.StoreKey, typ sdk.StoreType) {
 // LoadLatestVersion loads the latest application version. It will panic if
 // called more than once on a running BaseApp.
 func (app *BaseApp) LoadLatestVersion(baseKey *sdk.KVStoreKey) error {
-	err := app.cms.LoadLatestVersion()
+	err := app.storeLoader(app.cms)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return app.initFromMainStore(baseKey)
 }
 
+// DefaultStoreLoader will be used by default and loads the latest version
+func DefaultStoreLoader(ms sdk.CommitMultiStore) error {
+	return ms.LoadLatestVersion()
+}
+
+// StoreLoaderWithUpgrade is used to prepare baseapp with a fixed StoreLoader
+// pattern. This is useful in test cases, or with custom upgrade loading logic.
+func StoreLoaderWithUpgrade(upgrades *storetypes.StoreUpgrades) StoreLoader {
+	return func(ms sdk.CommitMultiStore) error {
+		return ms.LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(upgrades)
+	}
+}
+
+// UpgradeableStoreLoader can be configured by SetStoreLoader() to check for the
+// existence of a given upgrade file - json encoded StoreUpgrades data.
+//
+// If not file is present, it will peform the default load (no upgrades to store).
+//
+// If the file is present, it will parse the file and execute those upgrades
+// (rename or delete stores), while loading the data. It will also delete the
+// upgrade file upon successful load, so that the upgrade is only applied once,
+// and not re-applied on next restart
+//
+// This is useful for in place migrations when a store key is renamed between
+// two versions of the software. (TODO: this code will move to x/upgrades
+// when PR #4233 is merged, here mainly to help test the design)
+func UpgradeableStoreLoader(upgradeInfoPath string) StoreLoader {
+	return func(ms sdk.CommitMultiStore) error {
+		_, err := os.Stat(upgradeInfoPath)
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return DefaultStoreLoader(ms)
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		// there is a migration file, let's execute
+		data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(upgradeInfoPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Cannot read upgrade file %s: %v", upgradeInfoPath, err)
+		}
+
+		var upgrades storetypes.StoreUpgrades
+		err = json.Unmarshal(data, &upgrades)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Cannot parse upgrade file: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		err = ms.LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(&upgrades)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Load and upgrade database: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// if we have a successful load, we delete the file
+		err = os.Remove(upgradeInfoPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("deleting upgrade file %s: %v", upgradeInfoPath, err)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // LoadVersion loads the BaseApp application version. It will panic if called
 // more than once on a running baseapp.
 func (app *BaseApp) LoadVersion(version int64, baseKey *sdk.KVStoreKey) error {
diff --git a/baseapp/baseapp_test.go b/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
index efe628b08..44043a780 100644
--- a/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
+++ b/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 
-	store "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/types"
-
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
@@ -17,6 +16,8 @@ import (
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tm-db"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/rootmulti"
+	store "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/types"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
@@ -130,6 +131,143 @@ func TestLoadVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	testLoadVersionHelper(t, app, int64(2), commitID2)
 }
 
+func useDefaultLoader(app *BaseApp) {
+	app.SetStoreLoader(DefaultStoreLoader)
+}
+
+func useUpgradeLoader(upgrades *store.StoreUpgrades) func(*BaseApp) {
+	return func(app *BaseApp) {
+		app.SetStoreLoader(StoreLoaderWithUpgrade(upgrades))
+	}
+}
+
+func useFileUpgradeLoader(upgradeInfoPath string) func(*BaseApp) {
+	return func(app *BaseApp) {
+		app.SetStoreLoader(UpgradeableStoreLoader(upgradeInfoPath))
+	}
+}
+
+func initStore(t *testing.T, db dbm.DB, storeKey string, k, v []byte) {
+	rs := rootmulti.NewStore(db)
+	rs.SetPruning(store.PruneSyncable)
+	key := sdk.NewKVStoreKey(storeKey)
+	rs.MountStoreWithDB(key, store.StoreTypeIAVL, nil)
+	err := rs.LoadLatestVersion()
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(0), rs.LastCommitID().Version)
+
+	// write some data in substore
+	kv, _ := rs.GetStore(key).(store.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, kv)
+	kv.Set(k, v)
+	commitID := rs.Commit()
+	require.Equal(t, int64(1), commitID.Version)
+}
+
+func checkStore(t *testing.T, db dbm.DB, ver int64, storeKey string, k, v []byte) {
+	rs := rootmulti.NewStore(db)
+	rs.SetPruning(store.PruneSyncable)
+	key := sdk.NewKVStoreKey(storeKey)
+	rs.MountStoreWithDB(key, store.StoreTypeIAVL, nil)
+	err := rs.LoadLatestVersion()
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, ver, rs.LastCommitID().Version)
+
+	// query data in substore
+	kv, _ := rs.GetStore(key).(store.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, kv)
+	require.Equal(t, v, kv.Get(k))
+}
+
+// Test that we can make commits and then reload old versions.
+// Test that LoadLatestVersion actually does.
+func TestSetLoader(t *testing.T) {
+	// write a renamer to a file
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "upgrade-*.json")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	data := []byte(`{"renamed":[{"old_key": "bnk", "new_key": "banker"}]}`)
+	_, err = f.Write(data)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	configName := f.Name()
+	require.NoError(t, f.Close())
+
+	// make sure it exists before running everything
+	_, err = os.Stat(configName)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	cases := map[string]struct {
+		setLoader    func(*BaseApp)
+		origStoreKey string
+		loadStoreKey string
+	}{
+		"don't set loader": {
+			origStoreKey: "foo",
+			loadStoreKey: "foo",
+		},
+		"default loader": {
+			setLoader:    useDefaultLoader,
+			origStoreKey: "foo",
+			loadStoreKey: "foo",
+		},
+		"rename with inline opts": {
+			setLoader: useUpgradeLoader(&store.StoreUpgrades{
+				Renamed: []store.StoreRename{{
+					OldKey: "foo",
+					NewKey: "bar",
+				}},
+			}),
+			origStoreKey: "foo",
+			loadStoreKey: "bar",
+		},
+		"file loader with missing file": {
+			setLoader:    useFileUpgradeLoader(configName + "randomchars"),
+			origStoreKey: "bnk",
+			loadStoreKey: "bnk",
+		},
+		"file loader with existing file": {
+			setLoader:    useFileUpgradeLoader(configName),
+			origStoreKey: "bnk",
+			loadStoreKey: "banker",
+		},
+	}
+
+	k := []byte("key")
+	v := []byte("value")
+
+	for name, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// prepare a db with some data
+			db := dbm.NewMemDB()
+			initStore(t, db, tc.origStoreKey, k, v)
+
+			// load the app with the existing db
+			opts := []func(*BaseApp){SetPruning(store.PruneSyncable)}
+			if tc.setLoader != nil {
+				opts = append(opts, tc.setLoader)
+			}
+			app := NewBaseApp(t.Name(), defaultLogger(), db, nil, opts...)
+			capKey := sdk.NewKVStoreKey(MainStoreKey)
+			app.MountStores(capKey)
+			app.MountStores(sdk.NewKVStoreKey(tc.loadStoreKey))
+			err := app.LoadLatestVersion(capKey)
+			require.Nil(t, err)
+
+			// "execute" one block
+			app.BeginBlock(abci.RequestBeginBlock{Header: abci.Header{Height: 2}})
+			res := app.Commit()
+			require.NotNil(t, res.Data)
+
+			// check db is properly updated
+			checkStore(t, db, 2, tc.loadStoreKey, k, v)
+			checkStore(t, db, 2, tc.loadStoreKey, []byte("foo"), nil)
+		})
+	}
+
+	// ensure config file was deleted
+	_, err = os.Stat(configName)
+	require.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err))
+}
+
 func TestAppVersionSetterGetter(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := defaultLogger()
 	pruningOpt := SetPruning(store.PruneSyncable)
@@ -995,7 +1133,6 @@ func TestMaxBlockGasLimits(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range testCases {
-		fmt.Printf("debug i: %v\n", i)
 		tx := tc.tx
 
 		// reset the block gas
diff --git a/baseapp/options.go b/baseapp/options.go
index 18ee2fd42..15a825ee4 100644
--- a/baseapp/options.go
+++ b/baseapp/options.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package baseapp
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tm-db"
 
@@ -110,3 +111,17 @@ func (app *BaseApp) SetFauxMerkleMode() {
 	}
 	app.fauxMerkleMode = true
 }
+
+// SetCommitMultiStoreTracer sets the store tracer on the BaseApp's underlying
+// CommitMultiStore.
+func (app *BaseApp) SetCommitMultiStoreTracer(w io.Writer) {
+	app.cms.SetTracer(w)
+}
+
+// SetStoreLoader allows us to customize the rootMultiStore initialization.
+func (app *BaseApp) SetStoreLoader(loader StoreLoader) {
+	if app.sealed {
+		panic("SetStoreLoader() on sealed BaseApp")
+	}
+	app.storeLoader = loader
+}
diff --git a/server/mock/store.go b/server/mock/store.go
index cbf288b9a..9f0882023 100644
--- a/server/mock/store.go
+++ b/server/mock/store.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tm-db"
 
+	store "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/types"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
@@ -70,6 +71,14 @@ func (ms multiStore) LoadLatestVersion() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (ms multiStore) LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(upgrades *store.StoreUpgrades) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (ms multiStore) LoadVersionAndUpgrade(ver int64, upgrades *store.StoreUpgrades) error {
+	panic("not implemented")
+}
+
 func (ms multiStore) LoadVersion(ver int64) error {
 	panic("not implemented")
 }
diff --git a/store/rootmulti/store.go b/store/rootmulti/store.go
index 496fdb0ef..c3f011e20 100644
--- a/store/rootmulti/store.go
+++ b/store/rootmulti/store.go
@@ -100,65 +100,126 @@ func (rs *Store) GetCommitKVStore(key types.StoreKey) types.CommitKVStore {
 	return rs.stores[key].(types.CommitKVStore)
 }
 
-// Implements CommitMultiStore.
-func (rs *Store) LoadLatestVersion() error {
+// LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade implements CommitMultiStore
+func (rs *Store) LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(upgrades *types.StoreUpgrades) error {
 	ver := getLatestVersion(rs.db)
-	return rs.LoadVersion(ver)
+	return rs.loadVersion(ver, upgrades)
 }
 
-// Implements CommitMultiStore.
-func (rs *Store) LoadVersion(ver int64) error {
-	if ver == 0 {
-		// Special logic for version 0 where there is no need to get commit
-		// information.
-		for key, storeParams := range rs.storesParams {
-			store, err := rs.loadCommitStoreFromParams(key, types.CommitID{}, storeParams)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to load Store: %v", err)
-			}
+// LoadVersionAndUpgrade allows us to rename substores while loading an older version
+func (rs *Store) LoadVersionAndUpgrade(ver int64, upgrades *types.StoreUpgrades) error {
+	return rs.loadVersion(ver, upgrades)
+}
 
-			rs.stores[key] = store
+// LoadLatestVersion implements CommitMultiStore.
+func (rs *Store) LoadLatestVersion() error {
+	ver := getLatestVersion(rs.db)
+	return rs.loadVersion(ver, nil)
+}
+
+// LoadVersion implements CommitMultiStore.
+func (rs *Store) LoadVersion(ver int64) error {
+	return rs.loadVersion(ver, nil)
+}
+
+func (rs *Store) loadVersion(ver int64, upgrades *types.StoreUpgrades) error {
+	infos := make(map[string]storeInfo)
+	var lastCommitID types.CommitID
+
+	// load old data if we are not version 0
+	if ver != 0 {
+		cInfo, err := getCommitInfo(rs.db, ver)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
-		rs.lastCommitID = types.CommitID{}
-		return nil
+		// convert StoreInfos slice to map
+		for _, storeInfo := range cInfo.StoreInfos {
+			infos[storeInfo.Name] = storeInfo
+		}
+		lastCommitID = cInfo.CommitID()
 	}
 
-	cInfo, err := getCommitInfo(rs.db, ver)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// convert StoreInfos slice to map
-	infos := make(map[types.StoreKey]storeInfo)
-	for _, storeInfo := range cInfo.StoreInfos {
-		infos[rs.nameToKey(storeInfo.Name)] = storeInfo
-	}
-
-	// load each Store
+	// load each Store (note this doesn't panic on unmounted keys now)
 	var newStores = make(map[types.StoreKey]types.CommitStore)
 	for key, storeParams := range rs.storesParams {
-		var id types.CommitID
 
-		info, ok := infos[key]
-		if ok {
-			id = info.Core.CommitID
-		}
-
-		store, err := rs.loadCommitStoreFromParams(key, id, storeParams)
+		// Load it
+		store, err := rs.loadCommitStoreFromParams(key, rs.getCommitID(infos, key.Name()), storeParams)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to load Store: %v", err)
 		}
-
 		newStores[key] = store
+
+		// If it was deleted, remove all data
+		if upgrades.IsDeleted(key.Name()) {
+			if err := deleteKVStore(store.(types.KVStore)); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete store %s: %v", key.Name(), err)
+			}
+		} else if oldName := upgrades.RenamedFrom(key.Name()); oldName != "" {
+			// handle renames specially
+			// make an unregistered key to satify loadCommitStore params
+			oldKey := types.NewKVStoreKey(oldName)
+			oldParams := storeParams
+			oldParams.key = oldKey
+
+			// load from the old name
+			oldStore, err := rs.loadCommitStoreFromParams(oldKey, rs.getCommitID(infos, oldName), oldParams)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to load old Store '%s': %v", oldName, err)
+			}
+
+			// move all data
+			if err := moveKVStoreData(oldStore.(types.KVStore), store.(types.KVStore)); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to move store %s -> %s: %v", oldName, key.Name(), err)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
-	rs.lastCommitID = cInfo.CommitID()
+	rs.lastCommitID = lastCommitID
 	rs.stores = newStores
 
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (rs *Store) getCommitID(infos map[string]storeInfo, name string) types.CommitID {
+	info, ok := infos[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return types.CommitID{}
+	}
+	return info.Core.CommitID
+}
+
+func deleteKVStore(kv types.KVStore) error {
+	// Note that we cannot write while iterating, so load all keys here, delete below
+	var keys [][]byte
+	itr := kv.Iterator(nil, nil)
+	for itr.Valid() {
+		keys = append(keys, itr.Key())
+		itr.Next()
+	}
+	itr.Close()
+
+	for _, k := range keys {
+		kv.Delete(k)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// we simulate move by a copy and delete
+func moveKVStoreData(oldDB types.KVStore, newDB types.KVStore) error {
+	// we read from one and write to another
+	itr := oldDB.Iterator(nil, nil)
+	for itr.Valid() {
+		newDB.Set(itr.Key(), itr.Value())
+		itr.Next()
+	}
+	itr.Close()
+
+	// then delete the old store
+	return deleteKVStore(oldDB)
+}
+
 // SetTracer sets the tracer for the MultiStore that the underlying
 // stores will utilize to trace operations. A MultiStore is returned.
 func (rs *Store) SetTracer(w io.Writer) types.MultiStore {
@@ -380,14 +441,15 @@ func parsePath(path string) (storeName string, subpath string, err errors.Error)
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------
-
+// Note: why do we use key and params.key in different places. Seems like there should be only one key used.
 func (rs *Store) loadCommitStoreFromParams(key types.StoreKey, id types.CommitID, params storeParams) (store types.CommitStore, err error) {
 	var db dbm.DB
 
 	if params.db != nil {
 		db = dbm.NewPrefixDB(params.db, []byte("s/_/"))
 	} else {
-		db = dbm.NewPrefixDB(rs.db, []byte("s/k:"+params.key.Name()+"/"))
+		prefix := "s/k:" + params.key.Name() + "/"
+		db = dbm.NewPrefixDB(rs.db, []byte(prefix))
 	}
 
 	switch params.typ {
@@ -413,15 +475,6 @@ func (rs *Store) loadCommitStoreFromParams(key types.StoreKey, id types.CommitID
 	}
 }
 
-func (rs *Store) nameToKey(name string) types.StoreKey {
-	for key := range rs.storesParams {
-		if key.Name() == name {
-			return key
-		}
-	}
-	panic("Unknown name " + name)
-}
-
 //----------------------------------------
 // storeParams
 
diff --git a/store/rootmulti/store_test.go b/store/rootmulti/store_test.go
index 8574b60f8..69fec842e 100644
--- a/store/rootmulti/store_test.go
+++ b/store/rootmulti/store_test.go
@@ -156,6 +156,101 @@ func TestMultistoreCommitLoad(t *testing.T) {
 	checkStore(t, store, commitID, commitID)
 }
 
+func TestMultistoreLoadWithUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
+	var db dbm.DB = dbm.NewMemDB()
+	store := newMultiStoreWithMounts(db)
+	err := store.LoadLatestVersion()
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
+	// write some data in all stores
+	k1, v1 := []byte("first"), []byte("store")
+	s1, _ := store.getStoreByName("store1").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s1)
+	s1.Set(k1, v1)
+
+	k2, v2 := []byte("second"), []byte("restore")
+	s2, _ := store.getStoreByName("store2").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s2)
+	s2.Set(k2, v2)
+
+	k3, v3 := []byte("third"), []byte("dropped")
+	s3, _ := store.getStoreByName("store3").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s3)
+	s3.Set(k3, v3)
+
+	// do one commit
+	commitID := store.Commit()
+	expectedCommitID := getExpectedCommitID(store, 1)
+	checkStore(t, store, expectedCommitID, commitID)
+
+	ci, err := getCommitInfo(db, 1)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(1), ci.Version)
+	require.Equal(t, 3, len(ci.StoreInfos))
+	checkContains(t, ci.StoreInfos, []string{"store1", "store2", "store3"})
+
+	// Load without changes and make sure it is sensible
+	store = newMultiStoreWithMounts(db)
+	err = store.LoadLatestVersion()
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	commitID = getExpectedCommitID(store, 1)
+	checkStore(t, store, commitID, commitID)
+
+	// let's query data to see it was saved properly
+	s2, _ = store.getStoreByName("store2").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s2)
+	require.Equal(t, v2, s2.Get(k2))
+
+	// now, let's load with upgrades...
+	restore, upgrades := newMultiStoreWithModifiedMounts(db)
+	err = restore.LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(upgrades)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
+	// s1 was not changed
+	s1, _ = restore.getStoreByName("store1").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s1)
+	require.Equal(t, v1, s1.Get(k1))
+
+	// store3 is mounted, but data deleted are gone
+	s3, _ = restore.getStoreByName("store3").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, s3)
+	require.Nil(t, s3.Get(k3)) // data was deleted
+
+	// store2 is no longer mounted
+	st2 := restore.getStoreByName("store2")
+	require.Nil(t, st2)
+
+	// restore2 has the old data
+	rs2, _ := restore.getStoreByName("restore2").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, rs2)
+	require.Equal(t, v2, rs2.Get(k2))
+
+	// store this migrated data, and load it again without migrations
+	migratedID := restore.Commit()
+	require.Equal(t, migratedID.Version, int64(2))
+
+	reload, _ := newMultiStoreWithModifiedMounts(db)
+	err = reload.LoadLatestVersion()
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, migratedID, reload.LastCommitID())
+
+	// query this new store
+	rl1, _ := reload.getStoreByName("store1").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, rl1)
+	require.Equal(t, v1, rl1.Get(k1))
+
+	rl2, _ := reload.getStoreByName("restore2").(types.KVStore)
+	require.NotNil(t, rl2)
+	require.Equal(t, v2, rl2.Get(k2))
+
+	// check commitInfo in storage
+	ci, err = getCommitInfo(db, 2)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(2), ci.Version)
+	require.Equal(t, 3, len(ci.StoreInfos), ci.StoreInfos)
+	checkContains(t, ci.StoreInfos, []string{"store1", "restore2", "store3"})
+}
+
 func TestParsePath(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, err := parsePath("foo")
 	require.Error(t, err)
@@ -262,12 +357,52 @@ func newMultiStoreWithMounts(db dbm.DB) *Store {
 	return store
 }
 
+// store2 -> restore2
+// store3 dropped data (but mount still there to test)
+func newMultiStoreWithModifiedMounts(db dbm.DB) (*Store, *types.StoreUpgrades) {
+	store := NewStore(db)
+	store.pruningOpts = types.PruneSyncable
+	store.MountStoreWithDB(
+		types.NewKVStoreKey("store1"), types.StoreTypeIAVL, nil)
+	store.MountStoreWithDB(
+		types.NewKVStoreKey("restore2"), types.StoreTypeIAVL, nil)
+	store.MountStoreWithDB(
+		types.NewKVStoreKey("store3"), types.StoreTypeIAVL, nil)
+
+	upgrades := &types.StoreUpgrades{
+		Renamed: []types.StoreRename{{
+			OldKey: "store2",
+			NewKey: "restore2",
+		}},
+		Deleted: []string{"store3"},
+	}
+	return store, upgrades
+}
+
 func checkStore(t *testing.T, store *Store, expect, got types.CommitID) {
 	require.Equal(t, expect, got)
 	require.Equal(t, expect, store.LastCommitID())
 
 }
 
+func checkContains(t testing.TB, info []storeInfo, wanted []string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	for _, want := range wanted {
+		checkHas(t, info, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func checkHas(t testing.TB, info []storeInfo, want string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	for _, i := range info {
+		if i.Name == want {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("storeInfo doesn't contain %s", want)
+}
+
 func getExpectedCommitID(store *Store, ver int64) types.CommitID {
 	return types.CommitID{
 		Version: ver,
diff --git a/store/types/store.go b/store/types/store.go
index a85c93d54..021cd36cb 100644
--- a/store/types/store.go
+++ b/store/types/store.go
@@ -38,6 +38,48 @@ type Queryable interface {
 //----------------------------------------
 // MultiStore
 
+// StoreUpgrades defines a series of transformations to apply the multistore db upon load
+type StoreUpgrades struct {
+	Renamed []StoreRename `json:"renamed"`
+	Deleted []string      `json:"deleted"`
+}
+
+// StoreRename defines a name change of a sub-store.
+// All data previously under a PrefixStore with OldKey will be copied
+// to a PrefixStore with NewKey, then deleted from OldKey store.
+type StoreRename struct {
+	OldKey string `json:"old_key"`
+	NewKey string `json:"new_key"`
+}
+
+// IsDeleted returns true if the given key should be deleted
+func (s *StoreUpgrades) IsDeleted(key string) bool {
+	if s == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, d := range s.Deleted {
+		if d == key {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// RenamedFrom returns the oldKey if it was renamed
+// Returns "" if it was not renamed
+func (s *StoreUpgrades) RenamedFrom(key string) string {
+	if s == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	for _, re := range s.Renamed {
+		if re.NewKey == key {
+			return re.OldKey
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+
+}
+
 type MultiStore interface { //nolint
 	Store
 
@@ -94,6 +136,16 @@ type CommitMultiStore interface {
 	// Mount*Store() are complete.
 	LoadLatestVersion() error
 
+	// LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade will load the latest version, but also
+	// rename/delete/create sub-store keys, before registering all the keys
+	// in order to handle breaking formats in migrations
+	LoadLatestVersionAndUpgrade(upgrades *StoreUpgrades) error
+
+	// LoadVersionAndUpgrade will load the named version, but also
+	// rename/delete/create sub-store keys, before registering all the keys
+	// in order to handle breaking formats in migrations
+	LoadVersionAndUpgrade(ver int64, upgrades *StoreUpgrades) error
+
 	// Load a specific persisted version. When you load an old version, or when
 	// the last commit attempt didn't complete, the next commit after loading
 	// must be idempotent (return the same commit id). Otherwise the behavior is
diff --git a/store/types/store_test.go b/store/types/store_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..453bfa315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/store/types/store_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package types
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestStoreUpgrades(t *testing.T) {
+	type toDelete struct {
+		key    string
+		delete bool
+	}
+	type toRename struct {
+		newkey string
+		result string
+	}
+
+	cases := map[string]struct {
+		upgrades     *StoreUpgrades
+		expectDelete []toDelete
+		expectRename []toRename
+	}{
+		"empty upgrade": {
+			expectDelete: []toDelete{{"foo", false}},
+			expectRename: []toRename{{"foo", ""}},
+		},
+		"simple matches": {
+			upgrades: &StoreUpgrades{
+				Deleted: []string{"foo"},
+				Renamed: []StoreRename{{"bar", "baz"}},
+			},
+			expectDelete: []toDelete{{"foo", true}, {"bar", false}, {"baz", false}},
+			expectRename: []toRename{{"foo", ""}, {"bar", ""}, {"baz", "bar"}},
+		},
+		"many data points": {
+			upgrades: &StoreUpgrades{
+				Deleted: []string{"one", "two", "three", "four", "five"},
+				Renamed: []StoreRename{{"old", "new"}, {"white", "blue"}, {"black", "orange"}, {"fun", "boring"}},
+			},
+			expectDelete: []toDelete{{"four", true}, {"six", false}, {"baz", false}},
+			expectRename: []toRename{{"white", ""}, {"blue", "white"}, {"boring", "fun"}, {"missing", ""}},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			for _, d := range tc.expectDelete {
+				assert.Equal(t, tc.upgrades.IsDeleted(d.key), d.delete)
+			}
+			for _, r := range tc.expectRename {
+				assert.Equal(t, tc.upgrades.RenamedFrom(r.newkey), r.result)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}