diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
index d2259cfcab..983a4d20e1 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ function updateContext(updates: ContextMap): ContextMap {
 }
 
 async function newContext<T>(updates: ContextMap, task: () => T) {
+  guardMigration()
+
   // see if there already is a context setup
   let context: ContextMap = updateContext(updates)
   return Context.run(context, task)
@@ -145,23 +147,27 @@ export async function doInTenant<T>(
 }
 
 export async function doInAppContext<T>(
-  appId: string | null,
+  appId: string,
   task: () => T
 ): Promise<T> {
-  if (!appId && !env.isTest()) {
+  return _doInAppContext(appId, task)
+}
+
+async function _doInAppContext<T>(
+  appId: string,
+  task: () => T,
+  extraContextSettings?: ContextMap
+): Promise<T> {
+  if (!appId) {
     throw new Error("appId is required")
   }
 
-  let updates: ContextMap
-  if (!appId) {
-    updates = { appId: "" }
-  } else {
-    const tenantId = getTenantIDFromAppID(appId)
-    updates = { appId }
-    if (tenantId) {
-      updates.tenantId = tenantId
-    }
+  const tenantId = getTenantIDFromAppID(appId)
+  const updates: ContextMap = { appId, ...extraContextSettings }
+  if (tenantId) {
+    updates.tenantId = tenantId
   }
+
   return newContext(updates, task)
 }
 
@@ -182,6 +188,24 @@ export async function doInIdentityContext<T>(
   return newContext(context, task)
 }
 
+function guardMigration() {
+  const context = Context.get()
+  if (context?.isMigrating) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "The context cannot be changed, a migration is currently running"
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+export async function doInAppMigrationContext<T>(
+  appId: string,
+  task: () => T
+): Promise<T> {
+  return _doInAppContext(appId, task, {
+    isMigrating: true,
+  })
+}
+
 export function getIdentity(): IdentityContext | undefined {
   try {
     const context = Context.get()
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
index d8bb598af1..cfc820e169 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import { testEnv } from "../../../tests/extra"
 import * as context from "../"
 import { DEFAULT_TENANT_ID } from "../../constants"
+import { structures } from "../../../tests"
+import { db } from "../.."
+import Context from "../Context"
+import { ContextMap } from "../types"
+import { IdentityType } from "@budibase/types"
 
 describe("context", () => {
   describe("doInTenant", () => {
@@ -144,4 +149,107 @@ describe("context", () => {
       expect(isScim).toBe(false)
     })
   })
+
+  describe("doInAppMigrationContext", () => {
+    it("the context is set correctly", async () => {
+      const appId = db.generateAppID()
+
+      await context.doInAppMigrationContext(appId, () => {
+        const context = Context.get()
+
+        const expected: ContextMap = {
+          appId,
+          isMigrating: true,
+        }
+        expect(context).toEqual(expected)
+      })
+    })
+
+    it("the context is set correctly when running in a tenant id", async () => {
+      const tenantId = structures.tenant.id()
+      const appId = db.generateAppID(tenantId)
+
+      await context.doInAppMigrationContext(appId, () => {
+        const context = Context.get()
+
+        const expected: ContextMap = {
+          appId,
+          isMigrating: true,
+          tenantId,
+        }
+        expect(context).toEqual(expected)
+      })
+    })
+
+    it("the context is not modified outside the delegate", async () => {
+      const appId = db.generateAppID()
+
+      expect(Context.get()).toBeUndefined()
+
+      await context.doInAppMigrationContext(appId, () => {
+        const context = Context.get()
+
+        const expected: ContextMap = {
+          appId,
+          isMigrating: true,
+        }
+        expect(context).toEqual(expected)
+      })
+
+      expect(Context.get()).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+
+    it.each([
+      [
+        "doInAppMigrationContext",
+        () => context.doInAppMigrationContext(db.generateAppID(), () => {}),
+      ],
+      [
+        "doInAppContext",
+        () => context.doInAppContext(db.generateAppID(), () => {}),
+      ],
+      [
+        "doInAutomationContext",
+        () =>
+          context.doInAutomationContext({
+            appId: db.generateAppID(),
+            automationId: structures.generator.guid(),
+            task: () => {},
+          }),
+      ],
+      ["doInContext", () => context.doInContext(db.generateAppID(), () => {})],
+      [
+        "doInEnvironmentContext",
+        () => context.doInEnvironmentContext({}, () => {}),
+      ],
+      [
+        "doInIdentityContext",
+        () =>
+          context.doInIdentityContext(
+            {
+              account: undefined,
+              type: IdentityType.USER,
+              _id: structures.users.user()._id!,
+            },
+            () => {}
+          ),
+      ],
+      ["doInScimContext", () => context.doInScimContext(() => {})],
+      [
+        "doInTenant",
+        () => context.doInTenant(structures.tenant.id(), () => {}),
+      ],
+    ])(
+      "a nested context.%s function cannot run",
+      async (_, otherContextCall: () => Promise<void>) => {
+        await expect(
+          context.doInAppMigrationContext(db.generateAppID(), async () => {
+            await otherContextCall()
+          })
+        ).rejects.toThrowError(
+          "The context cannot be changed, a migration is currently running"
+        )
+      }
+    )
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/types.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/types.ts
index d687a93594..a1606a17b9 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/types.ts
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ export type ContextMap = {
   environmentVariables?: Record<string, string>
   isScim?: boolean
   automationId?: string
+  isMigrating?: boolean
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/TestConfiguration.ts b/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/TestConfiguration.ts
index 3a14a87d2a..b7886ccea4 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/TestConfiguration.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/TestConfiguration.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@ class TestConfiguration {
   }
 
   getAppId() {
+    if (!this.appId) {
+      throw "appId has not been initialised properly"
+    }
+
     return this.appId
   }
 
@@ -510,7 +514,7 @@ class TestConfiguration {
     // create dev app
     // clear any old app
     this.appId = null
-    this.app = await context.doInAppContext(null, async () => {
+    this.app = await context.doInTenant(this.tenantId!, async () => {
       const app = await this._req(
         { name: appName },
         null,
@@ -519,7 +523,7 @@ class TestConfiguration {
       this.appId = app.appId!
       return app
     })
-    return await context.doInAppContext(this.appId, async () => {
+    return await context.doInAppContext(this.getAppId(), async () => {
       // create production app
       this.prodApp = await this.publish()
 
@@ -817,7 +821,7 @@ class TestConfiguration {
   }
 
   async getAutomationLogs() {
-    return context.doInAppContext(this.appId, async () => {
+    return context.doInAppContext(this.getAppId(), async () => {
       const now = new Date()
       return await pro.sdk.automations.logs.logSearch({
         startDate: new Date(now.getTime() - 100000).toISOString(),