diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/tabletmanager/tablet_test.go b/go/test/endtoend/tabletmanager/tablet_test.go
index 8277ee13aed..8e6a1ad5a5e 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/tabletmanager/tablet_test.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/tabletmanager/tablet_test.go
@@ -20,12 +20,40 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/test/endtoend/cluster"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/log"
 )
 
+// TestEnsureDB tests that vttablet creates the db as needed
+func TestEnsureDB(t *testing.T) {
+	defer cluster.PanicHandler(t)
+
+	// Create new tablet
+	tablet := clusterInstance.NewVttabletInstance("replica", 0, "")
+	tablet.MysqlctlProcess = *cluster.MysqlCtlProcessInstance(tablet.TabletUID, tablet.MySQLPort, clusterInstance.TmpDirectory)
+	err := tablet.MysqlctlProcess.Start()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Started vttablet %v", tablet))
+	// Start vttablet process as replica. It won't be able to serve because there's no db.
+	err = clusterInstance.StartVttablet(tablet, "NOT_SERVING", false, cell, "dbtest", hostname, "0")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Make it the master.
+	err = clusterInstance.VtctlclientProcess.ExecuteCommand("TabletExternallyReparented", tablet.Alias)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// It goes SERVING because TER calls ChangeTabletType which will also set the database to read-write
+	assert.Equal(t, "SERVING", tablet.VttabletProcess.GetTabletStatus())
+	status := tablet.VttabletProcess.GetStatusDetails()
+	assert.Contains(t, status, "Serving")
+
+	killTablets(t, tablet)
+}
+
 // TestLocalMetadata tests the contents of local_metadata table after vttablet startup
 func TestLocalMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	defer cluster.PanicHandler(t)
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
index 1db7e7dccde..240f8772232 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
@@ -249,10 +249,6 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) InitMaster(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	// Set the server read-write, from now on we can accept real
 	// client writes. Note that if semi-sync replication is enabled,
 	// we'll still need some replicas to be able to commit transactions.
-	if err := tm.MysqlDaemon.SetReadOnly(false); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
 	if err := tm.changeTypeLocked(ctx, topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -739,12 +735,6 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) PromoteReplica(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	// We call SetReadOnly only after the topo has been updated to avoid
-	// situations where two tablets are master at the DB level but not at the vitess level
-	if err := tm.MysqlDaemon.SetReadOnly(false); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
 	return mysql.EncodePosition(pos), nil
 }
 
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_state.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_state.go
index fad4a8b9048..80a4d5e05b5 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_state.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_state.go
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ func (ts *tmState) ChangeTabletType(ctx context.Context, tabletType topodatapb.T
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		// We call SetReadOnly only after the topo has been updated to avoid
+		// situations where two tablets are master at the DB level but not at the vitess level
+		if err := ts.tm.MysqlDaemon.SetReadOnly(false); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
 		ts.tablet.Type = tabletType
 		ts.tablet.MasterTermStartTime = masterTermStartTime