7 min · published Jul 10, 2026
When to fix and when to rebuild an MVP
Criteria for deciding without attachment to the current code and without making a rewrite the automatic answer.
By Leonardo Soledade · product and software consultant
Rewriting does not mean improving
A new codebase removes known problems, but also discards validated behavior and creates a new round of bugs. The decision must compare cost, risk and speed toward the business’s next goal.
When to keep the current codebase
If the main flows work, the data has a clear structure and problems are concentrated in identifiable modules, progressive fixes usually deliver value sooner.
- There are tests or a reliable way to validate behavior
- Dependencies are still maintained
- The data model represents the business
- The biggest problems can be isolated
Signs you should rebuild
Rebuilding becomes more likely when there is no reliable access control, simple changes break distant areas, the technology blocks essential requirements or there is no safe path to migrate data and environment.
Make the decision produce a plan
An audit conclusion should not be only ‘it is bad’. It must say what stays, what changes, how to validate the transition and which risk each step reduces.