diff --git a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/defaults/main.yml b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/defaults/main.yml
index ce745eda184..13b5565f5f9 100644
--- a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/defaults/main.yml
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 
 tunnel_bridge: "br-tun"
 ovn_bridge: "br-int"
+ovn_db_sync_container: "neutron-ovn-db-sync"
diff --git a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/main.yml b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/main.yml
index f05fad71b34..20f61002f17 100644
--- a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/main.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 - include_tasks: clone-dataplane.yml
 
 - include_tasks: sync-dbs.yml
-  when: ovn_central is defined
 
 - include_tasks: activate-ovn.yml
 
diff --git a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/sync-dbs.yml b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/sync-dbs.yml
index 24a6910959b..4e3b629420c 100644
--- a/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/sync-dbs.yml
+++ b/tools/ovn_migration/tripleo_environment/playbooks/roles/migration/tasks/sync-dbs.yml
@@ -1,20 +1,34 @@
 ---
-- name: Get the neutron container ID
-  shell:
-    podman ps --filter "name=neutron_api" --format {% raw %}"{{.ID}}"{% endraw %}
-  register: neutron_id
+- name: stop neutron_api containers
+  ansible.builtin.systemd:
+    name: tripleo_neutron_api
+    state: stopped
 
-- name: Sync neutron db with OVN db (container) - Run 1
-  command: podman exec "{{ neutron_id.stdout }}"
-           neutron-ovn-db-sync-util --config-file /etc/neutron/neutron.conf
-           --config-file /etc/neutron/plugins/ml2/ml2_conf.ini
-           --ovn-neutron_sync_mode migrate
+- name: get neutron_server image url
+  command: podman ps -a --filter "name=neutron_api" --format {% raw %}"{{.Image}}"{% endraw %}
+  register: neutron_server_image
 
-- name: Sync neutron db with OVN db (container) - Run 2
-  command: podman exec "{{ neutron_id.stdout }}"
-           neutron-ovn-db-sync-util --config-file /etc/neutron/neutron.conf
-           --config-file /etc/neutron/plugins/ml2/ml2_conf.ini
-           --ovn-neutron_sync_mode migrate
+- name: sync neutron db with OVN db
+  command: podman run --name {{ ovn_db_sync_container }}
+    -v /var/log/containers/neutron:/var/log/neutron:Z
+    -v /var/lib/config-data/puppet-generated/neutron/etc/neutron:/etc/neutron:Z
+    --privileged=True --network host --user root
+    {{ neutron_server_image.stdout }}
+    neutron-ovn-db-sync-util --config-file /etc/neutron/neutron.conf
+    --config-file /etc/neutron/plugins/ml2/ml2_conf.ini
+    --log-file /var/log/neutron/neutron-db-sync.log
+    --ovn-neutron_sync_mode migrate
+    --debug
+  when: ovn_central is defined
+
+- name: remove db-sync container
+  command: podman rm -f {{ ovn_db_sync_container }}
+  when: ovn_central is defined
+
+- name: start neutron_api containers
+  ansible.builtin.systemd:
+    name: tripleo_neutron_api
+    state: started
 
 - name: Pause and let ovn-controllers settle before doing the final activation (5 minute)
   pause: minutes=5