diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index f17e7c4d42..dda8f212f1 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -1236,6 +1236,28 @@ class topology_coordinator {
         }
     }
 
+    void generate_migration_update(std::vector<canonical_mutation>& out, const group0_guard& guard, const tablet_migration_info& mig) {
+        auto s = _db.find_schema(mig.tablet.table);
+        auto& tmap = get_token_metadata_ptr()->tablets().get_tablet_map(mig.tablet.table);
+        auto last_token = tmap.get_last_token(mig.tablet.tablet);
+        if (tmap.get_tablet_transition_info(mig.tablet.tablet)) {
+            slogger.warn("Tablet already in transition, ignoring migration: {}", mig);
+            return;
+        }
+        out.emplace_back(
+            replica::tablet_mutation_builder(guard.write_timestamp(), s->ks_name(), mig.tablet.table)
+                .set_new_replicas(last_token, replace_replica(tmap.get_tablet_info(mig.tablet.tablet).replicas, mig.src, mig.dst))
+                .set_stage(last_token, locator::tablet_transition_stage::allow_write_both_read_old)
+                .build());
+    }
+
+    future<> generate_migration_updates(std::vector<canonical_mutation>& out, const group0_guard& guard, const migration_plan& plan) {
+        for (const tablet_migration_info& mig : plan) {
+            co_await coroutine::maybe_yield();
+            generate_migration_update(out, guard, mig);
+        }
+    }
+
     future<> handle_tablet_migration(group0_guard guard) {
         // This step acts like a pump which advances state machines of individual tablets,
         // batching barriers and group0 updates.
@@ -1807,21 +1829,7 @@ future<bool> topology_coordinator::maybe_start_tablet_migration(group0_guard gua
 
     std::vector<canonical_mutation> updates;
 
-    for (const tablet_migration_info& mig : plan) {
-        co_await coroutine::maybe_yield();
-        auto s = _db.find_schema(mig.tablet.table);
-        auto& tmap = tm->tablets().get_tablet_map(mig.tablet.table);
-        auto last_token = tmap.get_last_token(mig.tablet.tablet);
-        if (tmap.get_tablet_transition_info(mig.tablet.tablet)) {
-            slogger.warn("Tablet {} is already in transition, ignoring migration", mig.tablet);
-            continue;
-        }
-        updates.emplace_back(
-            replica::tablet_mutation_builder(guard.write_timestamp(), s->ks_name(), mig.tablet.table)
-                .set_new_replicas(last_token, replace_replica(tmap.get_tablet_info(mig.tablet.tablet).replicas, mig.src, mig.dst))
-                .set_stage(last_token, locator::tablet_transition_stage::allow_write_both_read_old)
-                .build());
-    }
+    co_await generate_migration_updates(updates, guard, plan);
 
     updates.emplace_back(
         topology_mutation_builder(guard.write_timestamp())