diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
index b2071bb45..3c677abe5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
@@ -3,16 +3,22 @@
 {VSN,
   [{"4.4.16",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}}
+     ]},
    {"4.4.15",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}}]},
    {<<"4\\.4\\.1[3-4]">>,
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_monitor,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
@@ -20,6 +26,7 @@
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_monitor,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
@@ -35,6 +42,7 @@
      {update,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_sup,supervisor},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_sup,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_api,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {apply,{emqx_rule_engine_sup,ensure_api_delegator_started,[]}},
@@ -56,7 +64,8 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_metrics,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}}]},
    {"4.4.9",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt},
@@ -74,6 +83,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_sqltester,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_metrics,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
    {"4.4.8",
@@ -92,6 +102,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_sqltester,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_metrics,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
@@ -113,7 +124,8 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_utils,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_actions,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}}]},
    {"4.4.5",
     [{add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_worker},
@@ -130,6 +142,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_sqltester,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_utils,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_actions,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
@@ -151,6 +164,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_validator,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_utils,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_actions,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
@@ -175,6 +189,7 @@
      {add_module,emqx_rule_date},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_maps,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
    {"4.4.2",
     [{add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt},
@@ -194,6 +209,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_sqltester,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_metrics,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_date},
@@ -221,7 +237,9 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_utils,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_date},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}}
+     ]},
    {"4.4.0",
     [{add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_worker},
@@ -241,6 +259,7 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_funcs,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {add_module,emqx_rule_date},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {apply,{emqx_rule_registry,update_rules_cache,[]}},
      {update,emqx_rule_metrics,{advanced,["4.4.0"]}},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
@@ -248,12 +267,16 @@
    {<<".*">>,[]}],
   [{"4.4.16",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}
+     ]},
    {"4.4.15",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_events,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
-     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}
+    ]},
    {<<"4\\.4\\.1[3-4]">>,
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_engine_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_registry.erl b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_registry.erl
index 0391e8f59..36950da87 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_registry.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_registry.erl
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 
 -include("rule_engine.hrl").
 -include_lib("emqx/include/logger.hrl").
--include_lib("stdlib/include/qlc.hrl").
 
 -export([start_link/0]).
 
diff --git a/scripts/update_appup.escript b/scripts/update_appup.escript
index 07f38873d..c5ae8c870 100755
--- a/scripts/update_appup.escript
+++ b/scripts/update_appup.escript
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ qlc_modules0() ->
      "apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api.erl",
      "apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/src/emqx_auth_mnesia_api.erl",
      "apps/emqx_auth_mnesia/src/emqx_acl_mnesia_db.erl",
-     "apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_registry.erl",
      "lib-ee/emqx_eviction_agent/src/emqx_eviction_agent.erl",
      "lib-ee/emqx_node_rebalance/src/emqx_node_rebalance_agent.erl"
     ].