diff --git a/aiida/backends/djsite/utils.py b/aiida/backends/djsite/utils.py
index a8b18a3e4b..fbd285e591 100644
--- a/aiida/backends/djsite/utils.py
+++ b/aiida/backends/djsite/utils.py
@@ -162,16 +162,23 @@ def check_schema_version(profile_name):
         set_db_schema_version(code_schema_version)
         db_schema_version = get_db_schema_version()
 
-    if code_schema_version != db_schema_version:
+    if code_schema_version > db_schema_version:
         raise ConfigurationError(
-            'Database schema version {} is outdated compared to the code schema version {}\n'
-            'Before you upgrade, make sure all calculations and workflows have finished running.\n'
-            'If this is not the case, revert the code to the previous version and finish them first.\n'
-            'To migrate the database to the current version, run the following commands:'
+            'Database schema version {} is outdated compared to the code schema version {}.\n'
+            'Note: Have all calculations and workflows have finished running? '
+            'If not, revert the code to the previous version and let them finish before upgrading.\n'
+            'To migrate the database to the current code version, run the following commands:'
             '\n  verdi -p {} daemon stop\n  verdi -p {} database migrate'.format(
                 db_schema_version, code_schema_version, profile_name, profile_name
             )
         )
+    elif code_schema_version < db_schema_version:
+        raise ConfigurationError(
+            'Database schema version {} is newer than code schema version {}.\n'
+            'You cannot use an outdated code with a newer database. Please upgrade.'.format(
+                db_schema_version, code_schema_version
+            )
+        )
 
 
 def set_db_schema_version(version):
diff --git a/aiida/backends/tests/cmdline/commands/test_code.py b/aiida/backends/tests/cmdline/commands/test_code.py
index fd9d15baee..84882c0676 100644
--- a/aiida/backends/tests/cmdline/commands/test_code.py
+++ b/aiida/backends/tests/cmdline/commands/test_code.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def test_relabel_code_full_bad(self):
         result = self.cli_runner.invoke(relabel, [str(self.code.pk), 'new_code@otherstuff'])
         self.assertIsNotNone(result.exception)
 
-    def test_delete_one(self):
+    def test_code_delete_one(self):
         result = self.cli_runner.invoke(delete, [str(self.code.pk)])
         self.assertIsNone(result.exception, result.output)
 
@@ -200,6 +200,15 @@ def test_delete_one(self):
             from aiida.orm import Code
             Code.get_from_string('code')
 
+    def test_code_delete_one_force(self):
+        result = self.cli_runner.invoke(delete, [str(self.code.pk), '--force'])
+        self.assertIsNone(result.exception, result.output)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(NotExistent):
+            from aiida.orm import Code
+            Code.get_from_string('code')
+
+
     def test_code_list(self):
         # set up second code 'code2'
         from aiida.orm import Code
diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/commands/cmd_code.py b/aiida/cmdline/commands/cmd_code.py
index 2af36a14a5..d959d9c3f3 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/commands/cmd_code.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/commands/cmd_code.py
@@ -172,25 +172,25 @@ def show(code, verbose):
 
 @verdi_code.command()
 @arguments.CODES()
+@options.VERBOSE()
+@options.DRY_RUN()
+@options.FORCE()
 @with_dbenv()
-def delete(codes):
+def delete(codes, verbose, dry_run, force):
     """Delete a code.
 
-    Note that it is possible to delete a code only if it has not yet been used
-    as an input of a calculation, i.e., if it does not have outgoing links.
+    Note that codes are part of the data provenance, and deleting a code will delete all calculations using it.
     """
-    from aiida.common.exceptions import InvalidOperation
-    from aiida.orm import Node
+    from aiida.manage.database.delete.nodes import delete_nodes
 
-    for code in codes:
-        try:
-            pk = code.pk
-            full_label = code.full_label
-            Node.objects.delete(pk)  # pylint: disable=no-member
-        except InvalidOperation as exception:
-            echo.echo_error(str(exception))
-        else:
-            echo.echo_success('Code<{}> {} deleted'.format(pk, full_label))
+    verbosity = 1
+    if force:
+        verbosity = 0
+    elif verbose:
+        verbosity = 2
+
+    node_pks_to_delete = [code.pk for code in codes]
+    delete_nodes(node_pks_to_delete, dry_run=dry_run, verbosity=verbosity, force=force)
 
 
 @verdi_code.command()