diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 9609be926b..ca3bb6165f 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@
 Changes
 =======
 
+`2.9.1 <https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renku-python/compare/v2.9.0...v2.9.1>`__ (2024-01-18)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Bug Fixes
+~~~~~~~~~
+
+-  **svc:** fix migration not working with old template metadata
+   (`#3687 <https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renku-python/issues/3687>`__)
+   (`398ec2e <https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renku-python/commit/398ec2ef35ec296aa55f3cdd568e35eaa360cd89>`__)
+
+
 `2.9.0 <https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renku-python/compare/v2.8.2...v2.9.0>`__ (2024-01-17)
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/helm-chart/renku-core/Chart.yaml b/helm-chart/renku-core/Chart.yaml
index 439f9ec1d4..5e08dc8299 100644
--- a/helm-chart/renku-core/Chart.yaml
+++ b/helm-chart/renku-core/Chart.yaml
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ appVersion: "1.0"
 description: A Helm chart for Kubernetes
 name: renku-core
 icon: https://avatars0.githubusercontent.com/u/53332360?s=400&u=a4311d22842343604ef61a8c8a1e5793209a67e9&v=4
-version: 2.9.0
+version: 2.9.1
diff --git a/helm-chart/renku-core/values.yaml b/helm-chart/renku-core/values.yaml
index 70cc73c055..9c8bc7658d 100644
--- a/helm-chart/renku-core/values.yaml
+++ b/helm-chart/renku-core/values.yaml
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ global:
 versions:
   latest:
     image:
-      tag: v2.9.0
+      tag: v2.9.1
diff --git a/renku/core/migration/migrate.py b/renku/core/migration/migrate.py
index 30e0e37a17..233cf71304 100644
--- a/renku/core/migration/migrate.py
+++ b/renku/core/migration/migrate.py
@@ -142,7 +142,12 @@ def migrate_project(
         except Exception as e:
             raise TemplateUpdateError("Couldn't update from template.") from e
 
-    if not skip_docker_update:
+    if (
+        not skip_docker_update
+        and project
+        and hasattr(project, "template_metadata")
+        and isinstance(project.template_metadata, ProjectTemplateMetadata)
+    ):
         try:
             docker_updated, _, _ = update_dockerfile()
         except DockerfileUpdateError:
diff --git a/renku/ui/service/controllers/cache_migrate_project.py b/renku/ui/service/controllers/cache_migrate_project.py
index 7c2032f717..50e168301f 100644
--- a/renku/ui/service/controllers/cache_migrate_project.py
+++ b/renku/ui/service/controllers/cache_migrate_project.py
@@ -30,13 +30,27 @@ def execute_migration(
     project_path, force_template_update, skip_template_update, skip_docker_update, skip_migrations, commit_message
 ):
     """Execute project migrations."""
-    from renku.command.migrate import migrate_project_command
+    from renku.command.migrate import (
+        AUTOMATED_TEMPLATE_UPDATE_SUPPORTED,
+        DOCKERFILE_UPDATE_POSSIBLE,
+        TEMPLATE_UPDATE_POSSIBLE,
+        check_project,
+        migrate_project_command,
+    )
 
     worker_log.debug(f"migrating {project_path}")
 
     communicator = ServiceCallback()
 
     with renku_project_context(project_path):
+        status = check_project().build().execute().output
+
+        template_update_possible = status & TEMPLATE_UPDATE_POSSIBLE and status & AUTOMATED_TEMPLATE_UPDATE_SUPPORTED
+        docker_update_possible = status & DOCKERFILE_UPDATE_POSSIBLE
+
+        skip_docker_update = skip_docker_update or not docker_update_possible
+        skip_template_update = skip_template_update or not template_update_possible
+
         result = (
             migrate_project_command()
             .with_commit(message=commit_message)