Systems, techniques, and articles are described herein for workload shifting in a database system. A computer system is configured to provide a database system and includes one or more processors, a primary database system implemented by the one or more processors, and a secondary database system implemented by the one or more processors. The secondary database system is configured as a hot-standby system for the primary database system and is capable of providing at least a minimum amount of essential functionality of the primary database system during a disruption. The primary database system is configured by programming instructions, executable on the computer system, to cause the one or more processors to determine from a query request from a client application directed to the primary database system that workload from a query may be shifted to the secondary database system and instruct the client application to execute the query.