diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-migrations-one-step.yml b/.github/workflows/test-migrations-one-step.yml
index 5dca8e376..1ff5cc06b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-migrations-one-step.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-migrations-one-step.yml
@@ -78,23 +78,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create database
         run: './bin/rails db:create'
 
-      - name: Run migrations up to v2.0.0
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20171010025614'
-
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2'
-
-      - name: Run migrations up to v2.4.0
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20180514140000'
-
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2_4'
-
-      - name: Run migrations up to v2.4.3
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20180707154237'
-
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2_4_3'
+      - name: Run historical migrations with data population
+        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:prepare_database'
 
       - name: Run all remaining migrations
         run: './bin/rails db:migrate'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-migrations-two-step.yml b/.github/workflows/test-migrations-two-step.yml
index 59485d285..669884731 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-migrations-two-step.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-migrations-two-step.yml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries 5
         ports:
           - 5432:5432
+
       redis:
         image: redis:7-alpine
         options: >-
@@ -77,28 +78,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create database
         run: './bin/rails db:create'
 
-      - name: Run migrations up to v2.0.0
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20171010025614'
-
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2'
-
-      - name: Run pre-deployment migrations up to v2.4.0
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20180514140000'
+      - name: Run historical migrations with data population
+        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:prepare_database'
         env:
           SKIP_POST_DEPLOYMENT_MIGRATIONS: true
 
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2_4'
-
-      - name: Run migrations up to v2.4.3
-        run: './bin/rails db:migrate VERSION=20180707154237'
-        env:
-          SKIP_POST_DEPLOYMENT_MIGRATIONS: true
-
-      - name: Populate database with test data
-        run: './bin/rails tests:migrations:populate_v2_4_3'
-
       - name: Run all remaining pre-deployment migrations
         run: './bin/rails db:migrate'
         env:
diff --git a/lib/tasks/tests.rake b/lib/tasks/tests.rake
index 45f055e21..885be79f4 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/tests.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/tests.rake
@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@
 
 namespace :tests do
   namespace :migrations do
+    desc 'Prepares all migrations and test data for consistency checks'
+    task prepare_database: :environment do
+      {
+        '2' => 2017_10_10_025614,
+        '2_4' => 2018_05_14_140000,
+        '2_4_3' => 2018_07_07_154237,
+      }.each do |release, version|
+        ActiveRecord::Tasks::DatabaseTasks
+          .migration_connection
+          .migration_context
+          .migrate(version)
+        Rake::Task["tests:migrations:populate_v#{release}"]
+          .invoke
+      end
+    end
+
     desc 'Check that database state is consistent with a successful migration from populated data'
     task check_database: :environment do
       unless Account.find_by(username: 'admin', domain: nil)&.hide_collections? == false
@@ -88,6 +104,8 @@ namespace :tests do
         puts 'Locale for fr-QC users not updated to fr-CA as expected'
         exit(1)
       end
+
+      puts 'No errors found. Database state is consistent with a successful migration process.'
     end
 
     desc 'Populate the database with test data for 2.4.3'