DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test_a; DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test_b; set allow_deprecated_syntax_for_merge_tree=1; CREATE TABLE test_a ( OldColumn String DEFAULT '', EventDate Date DEFAULT toDate(EventTime), EventTime DateTime ) ENGINE = MergeTree(EventDate, EventTime, 8192); CREATE TABLE test_b ( OldColumn String DEFAULT '', NewColumn String DEFAULT '', EventDate Date DEFAULT toDate(EventTime), EventTime DateTime ) ENGINE = MergeTree(EventDate, EventTime, 8192); INSERT INTO test_a (OldColumn, EventTime) VALUES('1', now()); INSERT INTO test_b (OldColumn, NewColumn, EventTime) VALUES('1', '1a', now()); INSERT INTO test_b (OldColumn, NewColumn, EventTime) VALUES('2', '2a', now()); ALTER TABLE test_a ADD COLUMN NewColumn String DEFAULT '' AFTER OldColumn; INSERT INTO test_a (OldColumn, NewColumn, EventTime) VALUES('2', '2a', now()); SELECT NewColumn FROM test_a INNER JOIN (SELECT OldColumn, NewColumn FROM test_b) s Using OldColumn PREWHERE NewColumn != ''; DROP TABLE test_a; DROP TABLE test_b;