diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db388db2..9bc6b856 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ services:
     volumes:
       # For persisting Pi-hole's databases and common configuration file
       - './etc-pihole:/etc/pihole'
-      # Uncomment the below if you have custom dnsmasq config files that you want to persist. Not needed for most.
+      # Uncomment the below if you have custom dnsmasq config files that you want to persist. Not needed for most starting fresh with Pi-hole v6. If you're upgrading from v5 you and have used this directory before, you should keep it enabled for the first v6 container start to allow for a complete migration. It can be removed afterwards
       #- './etc-dnsmasq.d:/etc/dnsmasq.d'
     cap_add:
       # See https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole#note-on-capabilities
diff --git a/src/bash_functions.sh b/src/bash_functions.sh
index 6f2f72a3..7da05547 100644
--- a/src/bash_functions.sh
+++ b/src/bash_functions.sh
@@ -116,10 +116,12 @@ migrate_gravity() {
         echo "  [i] Gravity will now be run to create the database"
         pihole -g
     else
-        echo "  [i] Existing gravity database found"
+        echo "  [i] Existing gravity database found - schema will be upgraded if necessary"
         # source the migration script and run the upgrade function
         source /etc/.pihole/advanced/Scripts/database_migration/gravity-db.sh
-        upgrade_gravityDB "${gravityDBfile}" "/etc/pihole"
+        local upgradeOutput
+        upgradeOutput=$(upgrade_gravityDB "${gravityDBfile}" "/etc/pihole")
+        printf "%b" "${upgradeOutput}\\n" | sed 's/^/     /'
     fi
     echo ""
 }
@@ -147,7 +149,7 @@ ftl_config() {
     setup_web_password
 }
 
-migrate_dnsmasq_d_contents() {
+migrate_v5_configs() {
     # Previously, Pi-hole created a number of files in /etc/dnsmasq.d
     # During migration, their content is copied into the new single source of
     # truth file /etc/pihole/pihole.toml and the old files are moved away to
@@ -168,6 +170,22 @@ migrate_dnsmasq_d_contents() {
     mv /etc/dnsmasq.d/0{1,2,4,5}-pihole*.conf "${V6_CONF_MIGRATION_DIR}/" 2>/dev/null || true
     mv /etc/dnsmasq.d/06-rfc6761.conf "${V6_CONF_MIGRATION_DIR}/" 2>/dev/null || true
     echo ""
+
+    # Finally, after everything is in place, we can create the new config file
+    # /etc/pihole/pihole.toml
+    # This file will be created with the default settings unless the user has
+    # changed settings via setupVars.conf or the other dnsmasq files moved above
+    # During migration, setupVars.conf is moved to /etc/pihole/migration_backup_v6
+    local FTLoutput
+    FTLoutput=$(pihole-FTL migrate v6)
+
+    # Print the output of the FTL migration prefacing every line with six
+    # spaces for alignment with other container output. Replace the first line to match the style of the other messages
+    # We suppress the message about environment variables as these will be set on FTL's first real start
+    printf "%b" "${FTLoutput}\\n" | sed 's/^/      /' | sed 's/      Migrating config to Pi-hole v6.0 format/  [i] Migrating config to Pi-hole v6.0 format/' | sed 's/- 0 entries are forced through environment//'
+
+    # Print a blank line for separation
+    echo ""
 }
 
 setup_web_password() {
diff --git a/src/start.sh b/src/start.sh
index da6afad0..a5153da1 100644
--- a/src/start.sh
+++ b/src/start.sh
@@ -21,13 +21,8 @@ start() {
   # FTL Will handle the migration of the config files
   if [[ -f /etc/pihole/setupVars.conf && ! -f /etc/pihole/pihole.toml ]]; then
     echo "  [i] v5 files detected that have not yet been migrated to v6"
-    echo "  [i] Deferring additional configuration until after FTL has started"
-    echo "  [i] Note: It is normal to see \"Config file /etc/pihole/pihole.toml not available (r): No such file or directory\" in the logs at this point"
     echo ""
-    # We need to migrate the dnsmasq.d contents so that FTL can read them in properly
-    migrate_dnsmasq_d_contents
-    v5_volume=1
-
+    migrate_v5_configs
   fi
 
   # ===========================
@@ -37,12 +32,9 @@ start() {
   # If PIHOLE_UID is set, modify the pihole user's id to match
   set_uid_gid
 
-  # Only run the next step if we are not migrating from v5 to v6
-  if [[ ${v5_volume} -eq 0 ]]; then
-    # Configure FTL with any environment variables if needed
-    echo "  [i] Starting FTL configuration"
-    ftl_config
-  fi
+  # Configure FTL with any environment variables if needed
+  echo "  [i] Starting FTL configuration"
+  ftl_config
 
   # Install additional packages inside the container if requested
   install_additional_packages
@@ -85,17 +77,12 @@ start() {
   while ! grep -q '########## FTL started' /var/log/pihole/FTL.log; do
     sleep 0.5
   done
-
-  # If we are migrating from v5 to v6, we now need to run the basic configuration step that we deferred earlier
-  # This is because pihole-FTL needs to migrate the config files before we can perform the basic configuration checks
-  if [[ ${v5_volume} -eq 1 ]]; then
-    echo "  [i] Starting deferred FTL Configuration"
-    ftl_config
-    echo ""
-  fi
-
+  
   pihole updatechecker
-  pihole -v
+  local versionsOutput
+  versionsOutput=$(pihole -v)
+  echo "  [i] Version info:"
+  printf "%b" "${versionsOutput}\\n" | sed 's/^/      /' 
   echo ""
 
   if [ "${TAIL_FTL_LOG:-1}" -eq 1 ]; then