diff --git a/integrations/api_repo_test.go b/integrations/api_repo_test.go
index 60fe4a3649576..a2683d4af4762 100644
--- a/integrations/api_repo_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_repo_test.go
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ func testAPIRepoMigrateConflict(t *testing.T, u *url.URL) {
 		resp := httpContext.Session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusConflict)
 		respJSON := map[string]string{}
 		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &respJSON)
-		assert.Equal(t, respJSON["message"], "The repository with the same name already exists.")
+		assert.Equal(t, "The repository with the same name already exists.", respJSON["message"])
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/models/repo.go b/models/repo.go
index e0a93aaebfdee..812460e92ff17 100644
--- a/models/repo.go
+++ b/models/repo.go
@@ -2840,3 +2840,9 @@ func (repo *Repository) GetTreePathLock(treePath string) (*LFSLock, error) {
 	}
 	return nil, nil
 }
+
+// UpdateRepositoryCols updates repository's columns
+func UpdateRepositoryCols(repo *Repository, cols ...string) error {
+	_, err := x.ID(repo.ID).Cols(cols...).Update(repo)
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/modules/task/migrate.go b/modules/task/migrate.go
index 5d15a506d7932..247403d7be355 100644
--- a/modules/task/migrate.go
+++ b/modules/task/migrate.go
@@ -97,8 +97,6 @@ func runMigrateTask(t *models.Task) (err error) {
 	opts.MigrateToRepoID = t.RepoID
 	repo, err := migrations.MigrateRepository(t.Doer, t.Owner.Name, *opts)
 	if err == nil {
-		notification.NotifyMigrateRepository(t.Doer, t.Owner, repo)
-
 		log.Trace("Repository migrated [%d]: %s/%s", repo.ID, t.Owner.Name, repo.Name)
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
index d366435a2fe19..7b752370d44e6 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 package repo
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
@@ -425,15 +427,54 @@ func Migrate(ctx *context.APIContext, form auth.MigrateRepoForm) {
 		opts.Releases = false
 	}
 
-	repo, err := migrations.MigrateRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser.Name, opts)
-	if err == nil {
-		notification.NotifyMigrateRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser, repo)
+	repo, err := models.CreateRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser, models.CreateRepoOptions{
+		Name:        opts.RepoName,
+		Description: opts.Description,
+		OriginalURL: opts.CloneAddr,
+		IsPrivate:   opts.Private,
+		IsMirror:    opts.Mirror,
+		Status:      models.RepositoryBeingMigrated,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		handleMigrateError(ctx, ctxUser, remoteAddr, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	opts.MigrateToRepoID = repo.ID
 
-		log.Trace("Repository migrated: %s/%s", ctxUser.Name, form.RepoName)
-		ctx.JSON(201, repo.APIFormat(models.AccessModeAdmin))
+	defer func() {
+		if e := recover(); e != nil {
+			var buf bytes.Buffer
+			fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "Handler crashed with error: %v", log.Stack(2))
+
+			err = errors.New(buf.String())
+		}
+
+		if err == nil {
+			repo.Status = models.RepositoryReady
+			if err := models.UpdateRepositoryCols(repo, "status"); err == nil {
+				notification.NotifyMigrateRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser, repo)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		if repo != nil {
+			if errDelete := models.DeleteRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser.ID, repo.ID); errDelete != nil {
+				log.Error("DeleteRepository: %v", errDelete)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	if _, err = migrations.MigrateRepository(ctx.User, ctxUser.Name, opts); err != nil {
+		handleMigrateError(ctx, ctxUser, remoteAddr, err)
 		return
 	}
 
+	log.Trace("Repository migrated: %s/%s", ctxUser.Name, form.RepoName)
+	ctx.JSON(201, repo.APIFormat(models.AccessModeAdmin))
+}
+
+func handleMigrateError(ctx *context.APIContext, repoOwner *models.User, remoteAddr string, err error) {
 	switch {
 	case models.IsErrRepoAlreadyExist(err):
 		ctx.Error(409, "", "The repository with the same name already exists.")
@@ -442,7 +483,7 @@ func Migrate(ctx *context.APIContext, form auth.MigrateRepoForm) {
 	case migrations.IsTwoFactorAuthError(err):
 		ctx.Error(422, "", "Remote visit required two factors authentication.")
 	case models.IsErrReachLimitOfRepo(err):
-		ctx.Error(422, "", fmt.Sprintf("You have already reached your limit of %d repositories.", ctxUser.MaxCreationLimit()))
+		ctx.Error(422, "", fmt.Sprintf("You have already reached your limit of %d repositories.", repoOwner.MaxCreationLimit()))
 	case models.IsErrNameReserved(err):
 		ctx.Error(422, "", fmt.Sprintf("The username '%s' is reserved.", err.(models.ErrNameReserved).Name))
 	case models.IsErrNamePatternNotAllowed(err):