diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 080fd112a50d..c1a25c685a7a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Features
+
+* (x/upgrade) [\#11551](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11551) Update `ScheduleUpgrade` for chains to schedule an automated upgrade on `BeginBlock` without having to go though governance.
+
 ## [v0.45.2](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/releases/tag/v0.45.2) - 2022-04-05
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/x/upgrade/abci_test.go b/x/upgrade/abci_test.go
index 731de6af8a51..b38b6e21d425 100644
--- a/x/upgrade/abci_test.go
+++ b/x/upgrade/abci_test.go
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ func TestRequireName(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{}})
-	require.NotNil(t, err)
+	require.Error(t, err)
 	require.True(t, errors.Is(sdkerrors.ErrInvalidRequest, err), err)
 }
 
 func TestRequireFutureBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
-	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight()}})
-	require.NotNil(t, err)
+	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() - 1}})
+	require.Error(t, err)
 	require.True(t, errors.Is(sdkerrors.ErrInvalidRequest, err), err)
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func TestDoHeightUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 	t.Log("Verify can schedule an upgrade")
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 1}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	VerifyDoUpgrade(t)
 }
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ func TestCanOverwriteScheduleUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 	t.Log("Can overwrite plan")
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "bad_test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 10}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 1}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	VerifyDoUpgrade(t)
 }
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestHaltIfTooNew(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 	t.Log("Verify that we don't panic with registered plan not in database at all")
 	var called int
-	s.keeper.SetUpgradeHandler("future", func(ctx sdk.Context, plan types.Plan, vm module.VersionMap) (module.VersionMap, error) {
+	s.keeper.SetUpgradeHandler("future", func(_ sdk.Context, _ types.Plan, vm module.VersionMap) (module.VersionMap, error) {
 		called++
 		return vm, nil
 	})
@@ -180,10 +180,10 @@ func TestCanClear(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 	t.Log("Verify upgrade is scheduled")
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 100}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.CancelSoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "cancel"})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	VerifyCleared(t, s.ctx)
 }
@@ -192,11 +192,11 @@ func TestCantApplySameUpgradeTwice(t *testing.T) {
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{})
 	height := s.ctx.BlockHeader().Height + 1
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: height}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	VerifyDoUpgrade(t)
 	t.Log("Verify an executed upgrade \"test\" can't be rescheduled")
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: height}})
-	require.NotNil(t, err)
+	require.Error(t, err)
 	require.True(t, errors.Is(sdkerrors.ErrInvalidRequest, err), err)
 }
 
@@ -242,9 +242,7 @@ func VerifySet(t *testing.T, skipUpgradeHeights map[int64]bool) {
 }
 
 func TestContains(t *testing.T) {
-	var (
-		skipOne int64 = 11
-	)
+	var skipOne int64 = 11
 	s := setupTest(10, map[int64]bool{skipOne: true})
 
 	VerifySet(t, map[int64]bool{skipOne: true})
@@ -303,7 +301,7 @@ func TestUpgradeSkippingOne(t *testing.T) {
 
 	req := abci.RequestBeginBlock{Header: newCtx.BlockHeader()}
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: skipOne}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	t.Log("Verify if skip upgrade flag clears upgrade plan in one case and does upgrade on another")
 	VerifySet(t, map[int64]bool{skipOne: true})
@@ -316,7 +314,7 @@ func TestUpgradeSkippingOne(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Log("Verify the second proposal is not skipped")
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop2", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test2", Height: skipTwo}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	// Setting block height of proposal test2
 	newCtx = newCtx.WithBlockHeight(skipTwo)
 	VerifyDoUpgradeWithCtx(t, newCtx, "test2")
@@ -338,7 +336,7 @@ func TestUpgradeSkippingOnlyTwo(t *testing.T) {
 
 	req := abci.RequestBeginBlock{Header: newCtx.BlockHeader()}
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: skipOne}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	t.Log("Verify if skip upgrade flag clears upgrade plan in both cases and does third upgrade")
 	VerifySet(t, map[int64]bool{skipOne: true, skipTwo: true})
@@ -351,7 +349,7 @@ func TestUpgradeSkippingOnlyTwo(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// A new proposal with height in skipUpgradeHeights
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop2", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test2", Height: skipTwo}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	// Setting block height of proposal test2
 	newCtx = newCtx.WithBlockHeight(skipTwo)
 	require.NotPanics(t, func() {
@@ -360,7 +358,7 @@ func TestUpgradeSkippingOnlyTwo(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Log("Verify a new proposal is not skipped")
 	err = s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop3", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test3", Height: skipThree}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	newCtx = newCtx.WithBlockHeight(skipThree)
 	VerifyDoUpgradeWithCtx(t, newCtx, "test3")
 
@@ -375,7 +373,7 @@ func TestUpgradeWithoutSkip(t *testing.T) {
 	newCtx := s.ctx.WithBlockHeight(s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 1).WithBlockTime(time.Now())
 	req := abci.RequestBeginBlock{Header: newCtx.BlockHeader()}
 	err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "prop", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 1}})
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	t.Log("Verify if upgrade happens without skip upgrade")
 	require.Panics(t, func() {
 		s.module.BeginBlock(newCtx, req)
@@ -438,7 +436,7 @@ func TestBinaryVersion(t *testing.T) {
 				})
 
 				err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "Upgrade test", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test0", Height: s.ctx.BlockHeight() + 2}})
-				require.Nil(t, err)
+				require.NoError(t, err)
 
 				newCtx := s.ctx.WithBlockHeight(12)
 				s.keeper.ApplyUpgrade(newCtx, types.Plan{
@@ -455,7 +453,7 @@ func TestBinaryVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			"test panic: upgrade needed",
 			func() (sdk.Context, abci.RequestBeginBlock) {
 				err := s.handler(s.ctx, &types.SoftwareUpgradeProposal{Title: "Upgrade test", Plan: types.Plan{Name: "test2", Height: 13}})
-				require.Nil(t, err)
+				require.NoError(t, err)
 
 				newCtx := s.ctx.WithBlockHeight(13)
 				req := abci.RequestBeginBlock{Header: newCtx.BlockHeader()}
diff --git a/x/upgrade/keeper/keeper.go b/x/upgrade/keeper/keeper.go
index 7dee3efd56c9..4d2c834991d7 100644
--- a/x/upgrade/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/x/upgrade/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ func (k Keeper) ScheduleUpgrade(ctx sdk.Context, plan types.Plan) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if plan.Height <= ctx.BlockHeight() {
+	// NOTE: allow for the possibility of chains to schedule upgrades in begin block of the same block
+	// as a strategy for emergency hard fork recoveries
+	if plan.Height < ctx.BlockHeight() {
 		return sdkerrors.Wrap(sdkerrors.ErrInvalidRequest, "upgrade cannot be scheduled in the past")
 	}
 
@@ -375,7 +377,7 @@ func (k Keeper) DumpUpgradeInfoWithInfoToDisk(height int64, name string, info st
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return ioutil.WriteFile(upgradeInfoFilePath, bz, 0600)
+	return os.WriteFile(upgradeInfoFilePath, bz, 0o600)
 }
 
 // GetUpgradeInfoPath returns the upgrade info file path