diff --git a/lib/db/upgrade.php b/lib/db/upgrade.php
index 7dee7a77347..0dec8901cd2 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgrade.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgrade.php
@@ -227,17 +227,10 @@ function xmldb_main_upgrade($oldversion) {
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012030100.01);
     }
 
-    if ($oldversion < 2012030100.02) {
-        // migrate all numbers to signed - it should be safe to interrupt this and continue later
-        upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_columns();
-
-        // Main savepoint reached
-        upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012030100.02);
-    }
-
     if ($oldversion < 2012030900.01) {
-        // migrate all texts and binaries to big size - it should be safe to interrupt this and continue later
-        upgrade_mysql_fix_lob_columns();
+        // Migrate all numbers to signed & all texts and binaries to big size.
+        // It should be safe to interrupt this and continue later.
+        upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_and_lob_columns();
 
         // Main savepoint reached
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012030900.01);
diff --git a/lib/db/upgradelib.php b/lib/db/upgradelib.php
index 5247e49429e..f0ee0fd7845 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgradelib.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgradelib.php
@@ -77,14 +77,15 @@ function upgrade_mysql_get_supported_tables() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Remove all signed numbers from current database - mysql only.
+ * Remove all signed numbers from current database and change
+ * text fields to long texts - mysql only.
  */
-function upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_columns() {
-    // we are not using standard API for changes of column
-    // because everything 'signed'-related will be removed soon
+function upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_and_lob_columns() {
+    // We are not using standard API for changes of column
+    // because everything 'signed'-related will be removed soon.
 
-    // if anybody already has numbers higher than signed limit the execution stops
-    // and tables must be fixed manually before continuing upgrade
+    // If anybody already has numbers higher than signed limit the execution stops
+    // and tables must be fixed manually before continuing upgrade.
 
     global $DB;
 
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ function upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_columns() {
         return;
     }
 
-    $pbar = new progress_bar('mysqlconvertunsigned', 500, true);
+    $pbar = new progress_bar('mysqlconvertunsignedlobs', 500, true);
 
     $prefix = $DB->get_prefix();
     $tables = upgrade_mysql_get_supported_tables();
@@ -101,11 +102,13 @@ function upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_columns() {
     $i = 0;
     foreach ($tables as $table) {
         $i++;
-        // set appropriate timeout - 5 minutes per milion of records should be enough, min 60 minutes just in case
+        // Set appropriate timeout - 1 minute per thousand of records should be enough, min 60 minutes just in case.
         $count = $DB->count_records($table, array());
-        $timeout = ($count/1000000)*5*60;
+        $timeout = ($count/1000)*60;
         $timeout = ($timeout < 60*60) ? 60*60 : (int)$timeout;
 
+        $changes = array();
+
         $sql = "SHOW COLUMNS FROM `{{$table}}`";
         $rs = $DB->get_recordset_sql($sql);
         foreach ($rs as $column) {
@@ -134,67 +137,31 @@ function upgrade_mysql_fix_unsigned_columns() {
                 $notnull = ($column->null === 'NO') ? 'NOT NULL' : 'NULL';
                 $default = (!is_null($column->default) and $column->default !== '') ? "DEFAULT '$column->default'" : '';
                 $autoinc = (stripos($column->extra, 'auto_increment') !== false) ? 'AUTO_INCREMENT' : '';
-                // primary and unique not necessary here, change_database_structure does not add prefix
-                $sql = "ALTER TABLE `{$prefix}$table` MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` $type $notnull $default $autoinc";
-                $DB->change_database_structure($sql);
+                // Primary and unique not necessary here, change_database_structure does not add prefix.
+
+                $changes[] = "MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` $type $notnull $default $autoinc";
+
+            } else if ($column->type === 'tinytext' or $column->type === 'mediumtext' or $column->type === 'text') {
+                $notnull = ($column->null === 'NO') ? 'NOT NULL' : 'NULL';
+                $default = (!is_null($column->default) and $column->default !== '') ? "DEFAULT '$column->default'" : '';
+                // Primary, unique and inc are not supported for texts.
+                $changes[] = "MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` LONGTEXT $notnull $default";
+
+            } else if ($column->type === 'tinyblob' or $column->type === 'mediumblob' or $column->type === 'blob') {
+                $notnull = ($column->null === 'NO') ? 'NOT NULL' : 'NULL';
+                $default = (!is_null($column->default) and $column->default !== '') ? "DEFAULT '$column->default'" : '';
+                // Primary, unique and inc are not supported for blobs.
+                $changes[] = "MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` LONGBLOB $notnull $default";
             }
+
         }
         $rs->close();
 
-        $pbar->update($i, $tablecount, "Converted unsigned columns in MySQL database - $i/$tablecount.");
-    }
-}
-
-/**
- * Migrate all text and binary columns to big size - mysql only.
- */
-function upgrade_mysql_fix_lob_columns() {
-    // we are not using standard API for changes of column intentionally
-
-    global $DB;
-
-    if ($DB->get_dbfamily() !== 'mysql') {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    $pbar = new progress_bar('mysqlconvertlobs', 500, true);
-
-    $prefix = $DB->get_prefix();
-    $tables = upgrade_mysql_get_supported_tables();
-    asort($tables);
-
-    $tablecount = count($tables);
-    $i = 0;
-    foreach ($tables as $table) {
-        $i++;
-        // set appropriate timeout - 1 minute per thousand of records should be enough, min 60 minutes just in case
-        $count = $DB->count_records($table, array());
-        $timeout = ($count/1000)*60;
-        $timeout = ($timeout < 60*60) ? 60*60 : (int)$timeout;
-
-        $sql = "SHOW COLUMNS FROM `{{$table}}`";
-        $rs = $DB->get_recordset_sql($sql);
-        foreach ($rs as $column) {
-            upgrade_set_timeout($timeout);
-
-            $column = (object)array_change_key_case((array)$column, CASE_LOWER);
-            if ($column->type === 'tinytext' or $column->type === 'mediumtext' or $column->type === 'text') {
-                $notnull = ($column->null === 'NO') ? 'NOT NULL' : 'NULL';
-                $default = (!is_null($column->default) and $column->default !== '') ? "DEFAULT '$column->default'" : '';
-                // primary, unique and inc are not supported for texts
-                $sql = "ALTER TABLE `{$prefix}$table` MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` LONGTEXT $notnull $default";
-                $DB->change_database_structure($sql);
-            }
-            if ($column->type === 'tinyblob' or $column->type === 'mediumblob' or $column->type === 'blob') {
-                $notnull = ($column->null === 'NO') ? 'NOT NULL' : 'NULL';
-                $default = (!is_null($column->default) and $column->default !== '') ? "DEFAULT '$column->default'" : '';
-                // primary, unique and inc are not supported for blobs
-                $sql = "ALTER TABLE `{$prefix}$table` MODIFY COLUMN `$column->field` LONGBLOB $notnull $default";
-                $DB->change_database_structure($sql);
-            }
+        if ($changes) {
+            $sql = "ALTER TABLE `{$prefix}$table` ".implode(', ', $changes);
+            $DB->change_database_structure($sql);
         }
-        $rs->close();
 
-        $pbar->update($i, $tablecount, "Converted LOB columns in MySQL database - $i/$tablecount.");
+        $pbar->update($i, $tablecount, "Converted unsigned/lob columns in MySQL database - $i/$tablecount.");
     }
 }