diff --git a/lib/model/database.dart b/lib/model/database.dart
index 6ca2aa3726..f9000f5cf5 100644
--- a/lib/model/database.dart
+++ b/lib/model/database.dart
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
-import 'dart:io';
-
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
-import 'package:drift/native.dart';
+import 'package:drift/internal/versioned_schema.dart';
 import 'package:drift/remote.dart';
-import 'package:path/path.dart' as path;
-import 'package:path_provider/path_provider.dart';
 import 'package:sqlite3/common.dart';
 
+import '../log.dart';
+import 'schema_versions.g.dart';
+
 part 'database.g.dart';
 
 /// The table of [Account] records in the app's database.
@@ -52,30 +51,61 @@ class UriConverter extends TypeConverter<Uri, String> {
   @override Uri fromSql(String fromDb) => Uri.parse(fromDb);
 }
 
-LazyDatabase _openConnection() {
-  return LazyDatabase(() async {
-    // TODO decide if this path is the right one to use
-    final dbFolder = await getApplicationDocumentsDirectory();
-    final file = File(path.join(dbFolder.path, 'db.sqlite'));
-    return NativeDatabase.createInBackground(file);
-  });
+// TODO(drift): generate this
+VersionedSchema _getSchema({
+  required DatabaseConnectionUser database,
+  required int schemaVersion,
+}) {
+  switch (schemaVersion) {
+    case 2:
+      return Schema2(database: database);
+    default:
+      throw Exception('unknown schema version: $schemaVersion');
+  }
 }
 
 @DriftDatabase(tables: [Accounts])
 class AppDatabase extends _$AppDatabase {
   AppDatabase(super.e);
 
-  AppDatabase.live() : this(_openConnection());
-
   // When updating the schema:
   //  * Make the change in the table classes, and bump schemaVersion.
-  //  * Export the new schema and generate test migrations:
+  //  * Export the new schema and generate test migrations with drift:
   //    $ tools/check --fix drift
+  //    and generate database code with build_runner.
+  //    See ../../README.md#generated-files for more
+  //    information on using the build_runner.
+  //  * Update [_getSchema] to handle the new schemaVersion.
   //  * Write a migration in `onUpgrade` below.
   //  * Write tests.
   @override
   int get schemaVersion => 2; // See note.
 
+  Future<void> _dropAndCreateAll(Migrator m, {
+    required int schemaVersion,
+  }) async {
+    await m.database.transaction(() async {
+      final query = m.database.customSelect(
+        "SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table'");
+      for (final row in await query.get()) {
+        final data = row.data;
+        final tableName = data['name'] as String;
+        // Skip sqlite-internal tables.  See for comparison:
+        //   https://www.sqlite.org/fileformat2.html#intschema
+        //   https://github.com/simolus3/drift/blob/0901c984a/drift_dev/lib/src/services/schema/verifier_common.dart#L9-L22
+        if (tableName.startsWith('sqlite_')) continue;
+        // No need to worry about SQL injection; this table name
+        // was already a table name in the database, not something
+        // that should be affected by user data.
+        await m.database.customStatement('DROP TABLE $tableName');
+      }
+      final schema = _getSchema(database: m.database, schemaVersion: schemaVersion);
+      for (final entity in schema.entities) {
+        await m.create(entity);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   @override
   MigrationStrategy get migration {
     return MigrationStrategy(
@@ -84,25 +114,22 @@ class AppDatabase extends _$AppDatabase {
       },
       onUpgrade: (Migrator m, int from, int to) async {
         if (from > to) {
-          // TODO(log): log schema downgrade as an error
           // This should only ever happen in dev.  As a dev convenience,
           // drop everything from the database and start over.
-          for (final entity in allSchemaEntities) {
-            // This will miss any entire tables (or indexes, etc.) that
-            // don't exist at this version.  For a dev-only feature, that's OK.
-            await m.drop(entity);
-          }
-          await m.createAll();
+          // TODO(log): log schema downgrade as an error
+          assert(debugLog('Downgrading schema from v$from to v$to.'));
+          await _dropAndCreateAll(m, schemaVersion: to);
           return;
         }
         assert(1 <= from && from <= to && to <= schemaVersion);
 
-        if (from < 2 && 2 <= to) {
-          await m.addColumn(accounts, accounts.ackedPushToken);
-        }
-        // New migrations go here.
-      }
-    );
+        await m.runMigrationSteps(from: from, to: to,
+          steps: migrationSteps(
+            from1To2: (m, schema) async {
+              await m.addColumn(schema.accounts, schema.accounts.ackedPushToken);
+            },
+          ));
+      });
   }
 
   Future<int> createAccount(AccountsCompanion values) async {
diff --git a/lib/model/schema_versions.g.dart b/lib/model/schema_versions.g.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..300813c53e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/model/schema_versions.g.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+// dart format width=80
+import 'package:drift/internal/versioned_schema.dart' as i0;
+import 'package:drift/drift.dart' as i1;
+import 'package:drift/drift.dart'; // ignore_for_file: type=lint,unused_import
+
+// GENERATED BY drift_dev, DO NOT MODIFY.
+final class Schema2 extends i0.VersionedSchema {
+  Schema2({required super.database}) : super(version: 2);
+  @override
+  late final List<i1.DatabaseSchemaEntity> entities = [
+    accounts,
+  ];
+  late final Shape0 accounts = Shape0(
+      source: i0.VersionedTable(
+        entityName: 'accounts',
+        withoutRowId: false,
+        isStrict: false,
+        tableConstraints: [
+          'UNIQUE(realm_url, user_id)',
+          'UNIQUE(realm_url, email)',
+        ],
+        columns: [
+          _column_0,
+          _column_1,
+          _column_2,
+          _column_3,
+          _column_4,
+          _column_5,
+          _column_6,
+          _column_7,
+          _column_8,
+        ],
+        attachedDatabase: database,
+      ),
+      alias: null);
+}
+
+class Shape0 extends i0.VersionedTable {
+  Shape0({required super.source, required super.alias}) : super.aliased();
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<int> get id =>
+      columnsByName['id']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<int>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get realmUrl =>
+      columnsByName['realm_url']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<int> get userId =>
+      columnsByName['user_id']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<int>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get email =>
+      columnsByName['email']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get apiKey =>
+      columnsByName['api_key']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get zulipVersion =>
+      columnsByName['zulip_version']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get zulipMergeBase =>
+      columnsByName['zulip_merge_base']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<int> get zulipFeatureLevel =>
+      columnsByName['zulip_feature_level']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<int>;
+  i1.GeneratedColumn<String> get ackedPushToken =>
+      columnsByName['acked_push_token']! as i1.GeneratedColumn<String>;
+}
+
+i1.GeneratedColumn<int> _column_0(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<int>('id', aliasedName, false,
+        hasAutoIncrement: true,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.int,
+        defaultConstraints:
+            i1.GeneratedColumn.constraintIsAlways('PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT'));
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_1(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('realm_url', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<int> _column_2(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<int>('user_id', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.int);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_3(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('email', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_4(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('api_key', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_5(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('zulip_version', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_6(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('zulip_merge_base', aliasedName, true,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<int> _column_7(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<int>('zulip_feature_level', aliasedName, false,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.int);
+i1.GeneratedColumn<String> _column_8(String aliasedName) =>
+    i1.GeneratedColumn<String>('acked_push_token', aliasedName, true,
+        type: i1.DriftSqlType.string);
+i0.MigrationStepWithVersion migrationSteps({
+  required Future<void> Function(i1.Migrator m, Schema2 schema) from1To2,
+}) {
+  return (currentVersion, database) async {
+    switch (currentVersion) {
+      case 1:
+        final schema = Schema2(database: database);
+        final migrator = i1.Migrator(database, schema);
+        await from1To2(migrator, schema);
+        return 2;
+      default:
+        throw ArgumentError.value('Unknown migration from $currentVersion');
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+i1.OnUpgrade stepByStep({
+  required Future<void> Function(i1.Migrator m, Schema2 schema) from1To2,
+}) =>
+    i0.VersionedSchema.stepByStepHelper(
+        step: migrationSteps(
+      from1To2: from1To2,
+    ));
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index cc1d93cca8..c17bebe704 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ dependencies:
   convert: ^3.1.1
   crypto: ^3.0.3
   device_info_plus: ^11.2.0
-  drift: ^2.5.0
+  drift: ^2.23.0
   file_picker: ^8.0.0+1
   firebase_core: ^3.3.0
   firebase_messaging: ^15.0.1
diff --git a/test/model/database_test.dart b/test/model/database_test.dart
index cb3a7d299b..0f8b21297c 100644
--- a/test/model/database_test.dart
+++ b/test/model/database_test.dart
@@ -98,11 +98,53 @@ void main() {
       verifier = SchemaVerifier(GeneratedHelper());
     });
 
-    test('upgrade to v2, empty', () async {
-      final connection = await verifier.startAt(1);
-      final db = AppDatabase(connection);
-      await verifier.migrateAndValidate(db, 2);
-      await db.close();
+    test('downgrading', () async {
+      final schema = await verifier.schemaAt(2);
+
+      // This simulates the scenario during development when running the app
+      // with a future schema version that has additional tables and columns.
+      final before = AppDatabase(schema.newConnection());
+      await before.customStatement('CREATE TABLE test_extra (num int)');
+      await before.customStatement('ALTER TABLE accounts ADD extra_column int');
+      await check(verifier.migrateAndValidate(
+        before, 2, validateDropped: true)).throws<SchemaMismatch>();
+      // Override the schema version by modifying the underlying value
+      // drift internally keeps track of in the database.
+      // TODO(drift): Expose a better interface for testing this.
+      await before.customStatement('PRAGMA user_version = 999;');
+      await before.close();
+
+      // Simulate starting up the app, with an older schema version that
+      // does not have the extra tables and columns.
+      final after = AppDatabase(schema.newConnection());
+      await verifier.migrateAndValidate(after, 2, validateDropped: true);
+      await after.close();
+    });
+
+    group('migrate without data', () {
+      const versions = GeneratedHelper.versions;
+      final latestVersion = versions.last;
+
+      int fromVersion = versions.first;
+      for (final toVersion in versions.skip(1)) {
+        test('from v$fromVersion to v$toVersion', () async {
+          final connection = await verifier.startAt(fromVersion);
+          final db = AppDatabase(connection);
+          await verifier.migrateAndValidate(db, toVersion);
+          await db.close();
+        });
+        fromVersion = toVersion;
+      }
+
+      for (final fromVersion in versions) {
+        if (fromVersion == latestVersion) break;
+        test('from v$fromVersion to latest (v$latestVersion)', () async {
+          final connection = await verifier.startAt(fromVersion);
+          final db = AppDatabase(connection);
+          await verifier.migrateAndValidate(db, latestVersion);
+          await db.close();
+        });
+      }
     });
 
     test('upgrade to v2, with data', () async {
@@ -130,6 +172,7 @@ void main() {
         ...accountV1.toJson(),
         'ackedPushToken': null,
       });
+      await after.close();
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/tools/check b/tools/check
index fefcd514ed..68b7eb0782 100755
--- a/tools/check
+++ b/tools/check
@@ -378,13 +378,15 @@ run_l10n() {
 
 run_drift() {
     local schema_dir=test/model/schemas/
+    local migration_helper_path=lib/model/schema_versions.g.dart
+    local outputs=( "${schema_dir}" "${migration_helper_path}" )
 
     # Omitted from this check:
     #   pubspec.{yaml,lock} tools/check
-    files_check lib/model/database{,.g}.dart "${schema_dir}" \
+    files_check lib/model/database{,.g}.dart "${outputs[@]}" \
     || return 0
 
-    check_no_uncommitted_or_untracked "${schema_dir}" \
+    check_no_uncommitted_or_untracked "${outputs[@]}" \
     || return
 
     dart run drift_dev schema dump \
@@ -393,8 +395,11 @@ run_drift() {
     dart run drift_dev schema generate --data-classes --companions \
         "${schema_dir}" "${schema_dir}" \
     || return
+    dart run drift_dev schema steps \
+        "${schema_dir}" "${migration_helper_path}" \
+    || return
 
-    check_no_changes "schema updates" "${schema_dir}"
+    check_no_changes "schema or migration-helper updates" "${outputs[@]}"
 }
 
 filter_flutter_pub_run_output() {