diff --git a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
index 0593a51fc9b..cb711f5b80a 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func CreateTablet(ctx context.Context, ts *topo.Server, cell string, uid uint32,
 	}
 	agent := tabletmanager.NewComboActionAgent(ctx, ts, alias, int32(8000+uid), int32(9000+uid), controller, dbcfgs, mysqld, keyspace, shard, dbname, strings.ToLower(initTabletType.String()))
 	if tabletType == topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER {
-		if err := agent.TabletExternallyReparented(ctx, ""); err != nil {
+		if err := agent.ChangeType(ctx, topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("TabletExternallyReparented failed on master %v: %v", topoproto.TabletAliasString(alias), err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/healthcheck_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/healthcheck_test.go
index 42ddc8452c3..9085f4820e9 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/healthcheck_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/healthcheck_test.go
@@ -717,13 +717,12 @@ func TestStateChangeImmediateHealthBroadcast(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	// Run TER to turn us into a proper master, wait for it to finish.
+	// Change to master.
 	agent.HealthReporter.(*fakeHealthCheck).reportReplicationDelay = 19 * time.Second
-	if err := agent.TabletExternallyReparented(ctx, "unused_id"); err != nil {
+	if err := agent.ChangeType(ctx, topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("TabletExternallyReparented failed: %v", err)
 	}
-	<-agent.finalizeReparentCtx.Done()
-	// It is not enough to wait for finalizeReparentCtx to be done, we have to wait for shard_sync to finish
+	// Wait for shard_sync to finish
 	startTime := time.Now()
 	for {
 		if time.Since(startTime) > 10*time.Second /* timeout */ {
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_actions.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_actions.go
index e4a4ac3a4cf..300baefc164 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_actions.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_actions.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ func (agent *ActionAgent) changeTypeLocked(ctx context.Context, tabletType topod
 	}
 
 	// let's update our internal state (stop query service and other things)
+	// refreshTablet will runHealthCheck.
 	if err := agent.refreshTablet(ctx, "ChangeType"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -102,9 +103,6 @@ func (agent *ActionAgent) changeTypeLocked(ctx context.Context, tabletType topod
 	if err := agent.fixSemiSyncAndReplication(agent.Tablet().Type); err != nil {
 		return vterrors.Wrap(err, "fixSemiSyncAndReplication failed, may not ack correctly")
 	}
-
-	// and re-run health check
-	agent.runHealthCheckLocked()
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
index 248a0dc9a2c..21e16ec1384 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_replication.go
@@ -22,17 +22,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/logutil"
-	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo"
-	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topotools"
-	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vterrors"
-
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/log"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/mysqlctl"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo/topoproto"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vterrors"
 
 	replicationdatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/replicationdata"
 	topodatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/topodata"
@@ -227,21 +224,7 @@ func (agent *ActionAgent) InitMaster(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	// This section is similar to changeTypeLocked except that we don't
-	// invoke runHealthCheck. This is because the tabletserver cannot come
-	// up until the database is created, which happens after the replicas
-	// are pointed at this new master.
-	startTime := time.Now()
-	_, err = topotools.ChangeType(ctx, agent.TopoServer, agent.TabletAlias, topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER, logutil.TimeToProto(startTime))
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	// We only update agent's masterTermStartTime if we were able to update the topo.
-	// This ensures that in case of a failure, we are never in a situation where the
-	// tablet's timestamp is ahead of the topo's timestamp.
-	agent.setMasterTermStartTime(startTime)
-	// and refresh our state
-	if err := agent.refreshTablet(ctx, "InitMaster"); err != nil {
+	if err := agent.changeTypeLocked(ctx, topodatapb.TabletType_MASTER); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 	return mysql.EncodePosition(pos), nil