diff --git a/frappe/database/schema.py b/frappe/database/schema.py
index 400242ad72..f10a94df50 100644
--- a/frappe/database/schema.py
+++ b/frappe/database/schema.py
@@ -275,7 +275,10 @@ class DbColumn:
 			return
 
 		# type
-		if current_def["type"] != column_type:
+		if current_def["type"] != column_type and not (
+			# XXX: MariaDB JSON is same as longtext and information schema still returns longtext
+			current_def["type"] == "longtext" and column_type == "json" and frappe.db.db_type == "mariadb"
+		):
 			self.table.change_type.append(self)
 
 		# unique
@@ -313,20 +316,25 @@ class DbColumn:
 		else:
 			cur_default = current_def.get("default")
 			new_default = self.default
-			if cur_default == "NULL" or cur_default is None:
+			if cur_default == "NULL":
 				cur_default = None
 			else:
 				# Strip quotes from default value
 				# eg. database returns default value as "'System Manager'"
-				cur_default = cur_default.lstrip("'").rstrip("'")
+				cur_default = cur_default.lstrip("'").rstrip("'").replace("\\\\", "\\")
 
 			fieldtype = self.fieldtype
+			db_field_type = frappe.db.type_map.get(fieldtype)
 			if fieldtype in ["Int", "Check"]:
 				cur_default = cint(cur_default)
 				new_default = cint(new_default)
 			elif fieldtype in ["Currency", "Float", "Percent"]:
 				cur_default = flt(cur_default)
 				new_default = flt(new_default)
+			elif db_field_type and db_field_type[0] in ("varchar", "longtext", "text"):
+				new_default = cstr(new_default)
+				if not current_def.get("not_nullable"):
+					cur_default = cstr(cur_default)
 			return cur_default != new_default
 
 	def default_changed_for_decimal(self, current_def):
@@ -336,7 +344,7 @@ class DbColumn:
 
 			elif (
 				current_def["default"]
-				and float(current_def["default"]) == 0.0
+				and flt(current_def["default"]) == 0.0
 				and self.default in ("", None, 0.0)
 			):
 				return False
diff --git a/frappe/tests/classes/integration_test_case.py b/frappe/tests/classes/integration_test_case.py
index ecb2a47e29..07e82a8992 100644
--- a/frappe/tests/classes/integration_test_case.py
+++ b/frappe/tests/classes/integration_test_case.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from contextlib import AbstractContextManager, contextmanager
 from types import MappingProxyType
 
 import frappe
+from frappe.database.utils import get_query_type
 from frappe.utils import cint
 
 from ..utils.generators import get_missing_records_module_overrides, make_test_records
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ class IntegrationTestCase(UnitTestCase):
 		self._secondary_connection.rollback()
 
 	@contextmanager
-	def assertQueryCount(self, count: int) -> AbstractContextManager[None]:
+	def assertQueryCount(self, count: int, query_type: tuple[str] | None = None):
 		queries = []
 
 		def _sql_with_count(*args, **kwargs):
@@ -124,6 +125,8 @@ class IntegrationTestCase(UnitTestCase):
 			orig_sql = frappe.db.__class__.sql
 			frappe.db.__class__.sql = _sql_with_count
 			yield
+			if query_type:
+				queries = [q for q in queries if get_query_type(q) in query_type]
 			self.assertLessEqual(len(queries), count, msg="Queries executed: \n" + "\n\n".join(queries))
 		finally:
 			frappe.db.__class__.sql = orig_sql
diff --git a/frappe/tests/test_db_update.py b/frappe/tests/test_db_update.py
index a62a6433a9..971243293d 100644
--- a/frappe/tests/test_db_update.py
+++ b/frappe/tests/test_db_update.py
@@ -175,6 +175,16 @@ class TestDBUpdate(IntegrationTestCase):
 		self.assertEqual(frappe.db.get_column_type(referring_doctype.name, link), "uuid")
 
 
+class TestDBUpdateSanityChecks(IntegrationTestCase):
+	@run_only_if(db_type_is.MARIADB)
+	def test_no_unnecessary_migrates(self):
+		for doctype in frappe.get_all("DocType", {"is_virtual": 0, "custom": 0}, pluck="name"):
+			with self.subTest(f"Check {doctype}"):
+				frappe.reload_doctype(doctype, force=True)
+				with self.assertQueryCount(0, query_type=("alter",)):
+					frappe.reload_doctype(doctype, force=True)
+
+
 def get_fieldtype_from_def(field_def):
 	fieldtuple = frappe.db.type_map.get(field_def.fieldtype, ("", 0))
 	fieldtype = fieldtuple[0]