diff --git a/db/post_migrate/20180212101928_schedule_build_stage_migration.rb b/db/post_migrate/20180212101928_schedule_build_stage_migration.rb
index b33127140bb..f03a3f8d355 100644
--- a/db/post_migrate/20180212101928_schedule_build_stage_migration.rb
+++ b/db/post_migrate/20180212101928_schedule_build_stage_migration.rb
@@ -3,18 +3,26 @@ class ScheduleBuildStageMigration < ActiveRecord::Migration
 
   DOWNTIME = false
   MIGRATION = 'MigrateBuildStage'.freeze
-  BATCH = 1000
+  BATCH_SIZE = 500
+
+  disable_ddl_transaction!
 
   class Build < ActiveRecord::Base
     include EachBatch
     self.table_name = 'ci_builds'
   end
 
-  def change
-    Build.where('stage_id IS NULL').each_batch(of: BATCH) do |builds, index|
-      builds.pluck(:id).map { |id| [MIGRATION, [id]] }.tap do |migrations|
-        BackgroundMigrationWorker.bulk_perform_in(index.minutes, migrations)
+  def up
+    disable_statement_timeout
+
+    Build.where('stage_id IS NULL').each_batch(of: BATCH_SIZE) do |builds, index|
+      builds.pluck('MIN(id)', 'MAX(id)').first.tap do |range|
+        BackgroundMigrationWorker.perform_in(index * 5.minutes, MIGRATION, range)
       end
     end
   end
+
+  def down
+    # noop
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/migrations/schedule_build_stage_migration_spec.rb b/spec/migrations/schedule_build_stage_migration_spec.rb
index 5e18d2e72f9..06657410173 100644
--- a/spec/migrations/schedule_build_stage_migration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/migrations/schedule_build_stage_migration_spec.rb
@@ -8,18 +8,12 @@ describe ScheduleBuildStageMigration, :migration do
   let(:jobs) { table(:ci_builds) }
 
   before do
-    stub_const("#{described_class}::BATCH", 1)
+    stub_const("#{described_class}::BATCH_SIZE", 1)
 
-    ##
-    # Dependencies
-    #
     projects.create!(id: 123, name: 'gitlab', path: 'gitlab-ce')
     pipelines.create!(id: 1, project_id: 123, ref: 'master', sha: 'adf43c3a')
     stages.create!(id: 1, project_id: 123, pipeline_id: 1, name: 'test')
 
-    ##
-    # CI/CD jobs
-    #
     jobs.create!(id: 11, commit_id: 1, project_id: 123, stage_id: nil)
     jobs.create!(id: 206, commit_id: 1, project_id: 123, stage_id: nil)
     jobs.create!(id: 3413, commit_id: 1, project_id: 123, stage_id: nil)
@@ -31,9 +25,9 @@ describe ScheduleBuildStageMigration, :migration do
       Timecop.freeze do
         migrate!
 
-        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(1.minute, 11)
-        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(2.minutes, 206)
-        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(3.minutes, 3413)
+        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(5.minutes, 11, 11)
+        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(10.minutes, 206, 206)
+        expect(described_class::MIGRATION).to be_scheduled_delayed_migration(15.minutes, 3413, 3413)
         expect(BackgroundMigrationWorker.jobs.size).to eq 3
       end
     end