diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
index 0dba2456a9..1cbf1de1c3 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/mainContext.ts
@@ -147,13 +147,21 @@ export async function doInTenant<T>(
 export async function doInAppContext<T>(
   appId: string,
   task: () => T
+): Promise<T> {
+  return _doInAppContext(appId, task)
+}
+
+async function _doInAppContext<T>(
+  appId: string,
+  task: () => T,
+  extraContextSettings?: ContextMap
 ): Promise<T> {
   if (!appId) {
     throw new Error("appId is required")
   }
 
   const tenantId = getTenantIDFromAppID(appId)
-  const updates: ContextMap = { appId }
+  const updates: ContextMap = { appId, ...extraContextSettings }
   if (tenantId) {
     updates.tenantId = tenantId
   }
@@ -182,21 +190,15 @@ export async function doInAppMigrationContext<T>(
   appId: string,
   task: () => T
 ): Promise<T> {
-  if (!appId && !env.isTest()) {
-    throw new Error("appId is required")
+  try {
+    return _doInAppContext(appId, task, {
+      isMigrating: true,
+    })
+  } finally {
+    updateContext({
+      isMigrating: undefined,
+    })
   }
-
-  let updates: ContextMap
-  if (!appId) {
-    updates = { appId: "" }
-  } else {
-    const tenantId = getTenantIDFromAppID(appId)
-    updates = { appId }
-    if (tenantId) {
-      updates.tenantId = tenantId
-    }
-  }
-  return newContext(updates, task)
 }
 
 export function getIdentity(): IdentityContext | undefined {
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
index d8bb598af1..ef7cf17e0c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/tests/index.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 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"
 
 describe("context", () => {
   describe("doInTenant", () => {
@@ -144,4 +148,36 @@ 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)
+      })
+    })
+  })
 })
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
 }