diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/run_all.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/run_all.py
index 9770b5da..0e888b9a 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/run_all.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/run_all.py
@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@ def remove_duplicate_human_task_rows() -> None:
     db.session.commit()
 
 
+@benchmark_log_func
+def backfill_task_guid_for_human_tasks() -> None:
+    update_query = (
+        update(HumanTaskModel).where(HumanTaskModel.task_guid == None).values(task_guid=HumanTaskModel.task_id)  # noqa: E711
+    )
+    db.session.execute(update_query)
+    db.session.commit()
+
+
 def all_potentially_relevant_process_instances() -> list[ProcessInstanceModel]:
     return ProcessInstanceModel.query.filter(
         ProcessInstanceModel.spiff_serializer_version < Version2.version(),
@@ -88,6 +97,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         start_time = time.time()
         put_serializer_version_onto_numeric_track()
         remove_duplicate_human_task_rows()
+        backfill_task_guid_for_human_tasks()
         process_instances = all_potentially_relevant_process_instances()
         potentially_relevant_instance_count = len(process_instances)
         current_app.logger.debug(f"Found potentially relevant process_instances: {potentially_relevant_instance_count}")
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/version_1_3.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/version_1_3.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1806db10..00000000
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/data_migrations/version_1_3.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import time
-
-from spiffworkflow_backend import create_app
-from spiffworkflow_backend.data_migrations.version_1_3 import VersionOneThree
-
-
-def main() -> None:
-    app = create_app()
-    start_time = time.time()
-
-    with app.app_context():
-        VersionOneThree().run()
-
-    end_time = time.time()
-    app.logger.debug(
-        f"done running data migration from ./bin/data_migrations/version_1_3.py. took {end_time - start_time} seconds"
-    )
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
index 218acf85..f10b5cb5 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
@@ -925,9 +925,15 @@ def _task_submit_shared(
                 human_task=human_task,
             )
 
+    # currently task_model has the potential to be None. This should be removable once
+    # we backfill the human_task table for task_guid and make that column not nullable
+    task_model: TaskModel | None = human_task.task_model
+    if task_model is None:
+        task_model = TaskModel.query.filter_by(guid=human_task.task_id).first()
+
     # delete draft data when we submit a task to ensure cycling back to the task contains the
     # most up-to-date data
-    task_draft_data = TaskService.task_draft_data_from_task_model(human_task.task_model)
+    task_draft_data = TaskService.task_draft_data_from_task_model(task_model)
     if task_draft_data is not None:
         db.session.delete(task_draft_data)
         db.session.commit()