diff --git a/app/models/miq_server.rb b/app/models/miq_server.rb
index f27f5c56b73..c0e46c57e66 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_server.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_server.rb
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ def is_recently_active?
   end
 
   def is_deleteable?
+    return true if MiqEnvironment::Command.is_podified?
+
     if self.is_local?
       message = N_("Cannot delete currently used %{log_message}") % {:log_message => format_short_log_msg}
       @errors ||= ActiveModel::Errors.new(self)
diff --git a/app/models/zone.rb b/app/models/zone.rb
index 9dc9c52a7ee..36e94e4303c 100644
--- a/app/models/zone.rb
+++ b/app/models/zone.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ class Zone < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :containers,            :through => :container_managers
   virtual_has_many :active_miq_servers, :class_name => "MiqServer"
 
+  before_destroy :remove_servers_if_podified
   before_destroy :check_zone_in_use_on_destroy
+  after_create :create_server_if_podified
 
   include AuthenticationMixin
 
@@ -239,11 +241,30 @@ def ntp_reload_queue
     servers.each(&:ntp_reload_queue)
   end
 
+  def message_for_invalid_delete
+    return _("cannot delete default zone") if name == "default"
+    return _("cannot delete maintenance zone") if self == miq_region.maintenance_zone
+    return _("zone name '%{name}' is used by a server") % {:name => name} if miq_servers.present?
+    _("zone name '%{name}' is used by a provider") % {:name => name} if ext_management_systems.present?
+  end
+
   protected
 
+  def remove_servers_if_podified
+    return unless MiqEnvironment::Command.is_podified?
+
+    miq_servers.destroy_all
+  end
+
+  def create_server_if_podified
+    return unless MiqEnvironment::Command.is_podified?
+    return if name == "default" || !visible
+
+    miq_servers.create!(:name => name)
+  end
+
   def check_zone_in_use_on_destroy
-    raise _("cannot delete default zone") if name == "default"
-    raise _("cannot delete maintenance zone") if self == miq_region.maintenance_zone
-    raise _("zone name '%{name}' is used by a server") % {:name => name} unless miq_servers.blank?
+    msg = message_for_invalid_delete
+    raise msg if msg
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/workers/evm_server_spec.rb b/spec/lib/workers/evm_server_spec.rb
index 9a2c7bec6f6..af5a890838c 100644
--- a/spec/lib/workers/evm_server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/workers/evm_server_spec.rb
@@ -55,18 +55,21 @@
         expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.first.id).to eq(MiqServer.first.id)
 
         4.times { FactoryBot.create(:miq_server) }
-        expect(subject).to receive(:impersonate_server).exactly(4).times
-        expect(subject).to receive(:start_server).exactly(4).times
+
+        num_servers = MiqServer.count
+
+        # one for each new server
+        expect(subject).to receive(:impersonate_server).exactly(num_servers - 1).times
+        expect(subject).to receive(:start_server).exactly(num_servers - 1).times
         subject.refresh_servers_to_monitor
 
-        expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.count).to eq(5)
+        expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.count).to eq(num_servers)
         expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.map(&:id)).to match_array(MiqServer.all.map(&:id))
       end
 
       it "removes a server when it is removed from the database" do
         server = FactoryBot.create(:miq_server)
         expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.map(&:id)).to include(server.id)
-        expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.count).to eq(2)
 
         monitor_server = subject.servers_to_monitor.find { |s| s.id == server.id }
         expect(monitor_server).to receive(:shutdown)
@@ -75,7 +78,6 @@
         subject.refresh_servers_to_monitor
 
         expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.map(&:id)).not_to include(server.id)
-        expect(subject.servers_to_monitor.count).to eq(1)
       end
 
       # Note: this is a very important spec
@@ -86,8 +88,8 @@
         initial_object_id = subject.servers_to_monitor.first.object_id
 
         4.times { FactoryBot.create(:miq_server) }
-        expect(subject).to receive(:impersonate_server).exactly(4).times
-        expect(subject).to receive(:start_server).exactly(4).times
+        allow(subject).to receive(:impersonate_server)
+        allow(subject).to receive(:start_server)
         subject.refresh_servers_to_monitor
 
         new_objects = subject.servers_to_monitor.map(&:object_id)
diff --git a/spec/models/miq_server/queue_management_spec.rb b/spec/models/miq_server/queue_management_spec.rb
index ea6d66187ab..487c41d714b 100644
--- a/spec/models/miq_server/queue_management_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/miq_server/queue_management_spec.rb
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 
   describe "#ntp_reload_queue" do
     it "enqueues a message if the server is an appliance, but not a container" do
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(false)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(false)
 
       server.ntp_reload_queue
 
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     end
 
     it "doesn't enqueue a message if the server is not an appliance" do
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(false)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(false)
 
       server.ntp_reload_queue
 
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
     end
 
     it "doesn't enqueue a message if the server is a container" do
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(true)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(true)
 
       server.ntp_reload_queue
 
diff --git a/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb b/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
index d7bb17ab1e0..c3fd7f7b929 100644
--- a/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
@@ -172,6 +172,13 @@
 
         expect(@miq_server.errors.full_messages.first).to match(/recently/)
       end
+
+      it "doesn't enforce when podified" do
+        allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_podified?).and_return(true)
+        allow(@miq_server).to receive(:is_local?).and_return(true)
+        @miq_server.last_heartbeat = 2.minutes.ago.utc
+        @miq_server.destroy!
+      end
     end
 
     context "#ntp_reload_queue" do
diff --git a/spec/models/zone_spec.rb b/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
index 7d9ec7af3bb..1acc716f11f 100644
--- a/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@
 
   context "#ntp_reload_queue" do
     it "queues a ntp reload for all active servers in the zone" do
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
-      expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(false)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_appliance?).and_return(true)
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_container?).and_return(false)
       zone     = FactoryBot.create(:zone)
       server_1 = FactoryBot.create(:miq_server, :zone => zone)
       FactoryBot.create(:miq_server, :zone => zone, :status => "stopped")
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@
       described_class.seed
       expect(described_class.maintenance_zone.visible).to eq(false)
     end
+
+    it "cannot be destroyed" do
+      described_class.seed
+      expect { described_class.maintenance_zone.destroy! }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+    end
   end
 
   context "validate multi region" do
@@ -224,4 +229,66 @@
     zone.destroy!
     expect(MiqQueue.where(:zone => zone.name).count).to eq(0)
   end
+
+  it "doesn't create a server for the zone when not podified" do
+    zone = FactoryBot.create(:zone)
+    expect(zone.miq_servers.count).to eq(0)
+  end
+
+  describe "#destroy" do
+    before { MiqRegion.seed }
+
+    it "fails for a zone with servers when not podified" do
+      zone = FactoryBot.create(:zone)
+      zone.miq_servers.create!(:name => "my_server")
+      expect { zone.destroy! }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+    end
+
+    it "fails for the default zone" do
+      described_class.seed
+      expect { described_class.default_zone.destroy! }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+    end
+
+    it "fails for a zone with a provider" do
+      zone = FactoryBot.create(:zone)
+      FactoryBot.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zone)
+
+      expect { zone.destroy! }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "when podified" do
+    before do
+      allow(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_podified?).and_return(true)
+    end
+
+    describe ".create" do
+      it "automatically creates a server" do
+        zone = Zone.create!(:name => "my_zone", :description => "some zone")
+        expect(zone.miq_servers.count).to eq(1)
+
+        server = zone.miq_servers.first
+        expect(server.name).to eq("my_zone")
+      end
+
+      it "doesn't create a server for non-visible zones" do
+        zone = Zone.create!(:name => "my_zone", :description => "some zone", :visible => false)
+        expect(zone.miq_servers.count).to eq(0)
+      end
+
+      it "doesn't create a server for the default zone" do
+        zone = Zone.create!(:name => "default", :description => "Default Zone")
+        expect(zone.miq_servers.count).to eq(0)
+      end
+    end
+
+    it ".destroy deletes the server in the zone" do
+      MiqRegion.seed
+      zone = Zone.create!(:name => "my_zone", :description => "some zone")
+      server = zone.miq_servers.first
+      zone.destroy!
+
+      expect(MiqServer.find_by(:id => server.id)).to be_nil
+    end
+  end
 end