diff --git a/pkg/migration/default_group.go b/pkg/migration/default_group.go
index bb12dd95a..e374736f6 100644
--- a/pkg/migration/default_group.go
+++ b/pkg/migration/default_group.go
@@ -22,12 +22,18 @@ func (m *DefaultGroupMigrator) Migrate(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize managers: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Create default group
-	if err := m.createDefaultGroup(ctx); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create default group: %w", err)
+	// Create default group if it doesn't exist
+	defaultGroupExists, err := m.groupManager.Exists(ctx, groups.DefaultGroupName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check if default group exists: %w", err)
+	}
+	if !defaultGroupExists {
+		if err := m.createDefaultGroup(ctx); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create default group: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
-	// Migrate workloads to default group
+	// Migrate workloads to default group if they don't have a group assigned
 	migratedCount, err := m.migrateWorkloadsToDefaultGroup(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to migrate workloads: %w", err)
@@ -35,8 +41,6 @@ func (m *DefaultGroupMigrator) Migrate(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	if migratedCount > 0 {
 		fmt.Printf("\nSuccessfully migrated %d workloads to default group '%s'\n", migratedCount, groups.DefaultGroupName)
-	} else {
-		fmt.Println("No workloads needed migration to default group")
 	}
 
 	// Migrate client configurations from global config to default group
@@ -108,12 +112,10 @@ func (m *DefaultGroupMigrator) migrateClientConfigs(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	// If there are no registered clients, nothing to migrate
 	if len(appConfig.Clients.RegisteredClients) == 0 {
-		logger.Infof("No client configurations to migrate")
+		logger.Debugf("No client configurations to migrate")
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	fmt.Printf("Migrating %d client configurations to default group...\n", len(appConfig.Clients.RegisteredClients))
-
 	// Get the default group
 	defaultGroup, err := m.groupManager.Get(ctx, groups.DefaultGroupName)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -151,10 +153,10 @@ func (m *DefaultGroupMigrator) migrateClientConfigs(ctx context.Context) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Warnf("Failed to clear global client configurations after migration: %v", err)
 		} else {
-			logger.Infof("Cleared global client configurations")
+			logger.Debugf("Cleared global client configurations")
 		}
 	} else {
-		logger.Infof("No client configurations needed migration")
+		logger.Debugf("No client configurations needed migration")
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/migration/migration.go b/pkg/migration/migration.go
index 9aa118e8a..153f015bf 100644
--- a/pkg/migration/migration.go
+++ b/pkg/migration/migration.go
@@ -3,10 +3,8 @@ package migration
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 
-	"github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/logger"
 )
 
@@ -17,13 +15,6 @@ var migrationOnce sync.Once
 // This is called once at application startup
 func CheckAndPerformDefaultGroupMigration() {
 	migrationOnce.Do(func() {
-		appConfig := config.GetConfig()
-
-		// Check if default group migration has already been performed
-		if appConfig.DefaultGroupMigration {
-			return
-		}
-
 		if err := performDefaultGroupMigration(); err != nil {
 			logger.Errorf("Failed to perform default group migration: %v", err)
 			return
@@ -33,9 +24,6 @@ func CheckAndPerformDefaultGroupMigration() {
 
 // performDefaultGroupMigration migrates all existing workloads to the default group
 func performDefaultGroupMigration() error {
-	fmt.Println("Migrating existing workloads to default group...")
-	fmt.Println()
-
 	migrator := &DefaultGroupMigrator{}
 	return migrator.Migrate(context.Background())
 }