diff --git a/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests.rb b/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests.rb
index b0a8c3a8cbb32f65682fcf5605ac30d0b8f8b395..52ff3aaa42374d8ac725e186e6dedc6838ea0eb1 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests.rb
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ def self.eligible
       def perform(start_id, end_id)
         eligible_mrs = MergeRequest.eligible.where(id: start_id..end_id).pluck(:id)
 
-        return if eligible_mrs.empty?
-
         eligible_mrs.each_slice(10) do |slice|
           MergeRequest.where(id: slice).update_all(draft: true)
         end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests_spec.rb
index 060477e1e89f559b5c7fd3204028c37cf1839dd1..1158eedfe7c7ae7c9b2568d1163b1242f4e3aae1 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/background_migration/backfill_draft_status_on_merge_requests_spec.rb
@@ -50,5 +50,19 @@ def create_merge_request(params)
 
       subject.perform(mr_ids.first, mr_ids.last)
     end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'marks background migration job records' do
+      let!(:non_eligible_mrs) do
+        Array.new(2) do
+          create_merge_request(
+            title: "Not a d-r-a-f-t 1",
+            draft: false,
+            state_id: 1
+          )
+        end
+      end
+
+      let(:arguments) { [non_eligible_mrs.first.id, non_eligible_mrs.last.id] }
+    end
   end
 end