diff --git a/changes/2360-updated-at b/changes/2360-updated-at
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d034536d62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/2360-updated-at
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* Improve performance and reliability of Policy database migrations.
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20210927143115_AddPolicyUpdatedAtColumn.go b/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20210927143115_AddPolicyUpdatedAtColumn.go
index 43385178ee..a0681d5b57 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20210927143115_AddPolicyUpdatedAtColumn.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/migrations/tables/20210927143115_AddPolicyUpdatedAtColumn.go
@@ -11,16 +11,16 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func Up_20210927143115(tx *sql.Tx) error {
-	_, err := tx.Exec("ALTER TABLE hosts ADD COLUMN policy_updated_at timestamp NOT NULL DEFAULT '2000-01-01 00:00:00'")
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "adding policy_updated_at column")
-	}
-
-	_, err = tx.Exec("delete from policy_membership_history")
+	_, err := tx.Exec("TRUNCATE TABLE policy_membership_history")
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "clearing policy_membership_history")
 	}
 
+	_, err = tx.Exec("ALTER TABLE hosts ADD COLUMN policy_updated_at timestamp NOT NULL DEFAULT '2000-01-01 00:00:00'")
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "adding policy_updated_at column")
+	}
+
 	return err
 }