diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
index 52257ef2f3..98acd7430b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ using Umbraco.Core.Models.EntityBase;
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Represents a Language
+    /// Represents a Language.
     /// </summary>
     [Serializable]
     [DataContract(IsReference = true)]
     public class Language : Entity, ILanguage
     {
+        private static readonly Lazy<PropertySelectors> Ps = new Lazy<PropertySelectors>();
+
         private string _isoCode;
         private string _cultureName;
 
@@ -21,8 +23,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
             IsoCode = isoCode;
         }
 
-        private static readonly Lazy<PropertySelectors> Ps = new Lazy<PropertySelectors>();
-
+        // ReSharper disable once ClassNeverInstantiated.Local
         private class PropertySelectors
         {
             public readonly PropertyInfo IsoCodeSelector = ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyInfo<Language, string>(x => x.IsoCode);
@@ -35,8 +36,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         [DataMember]
         public string IsoCode
         {
-            get { return _isoCode; }
-            set { SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _isoCode, Ps.Value.IsoCodeSelector); }
+            get => _isoCode;
+            set => SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _isoCode, Ps.Value.IsoCodeSelector);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -45,17 +46,14 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         [DataMember]
         public string CultureName
         {
-            get { return _cultureName; }
-            set { SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _cultureName, Ps.Value.CultureNameSelector); }
+            get => _cultureName;
+            set => SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _cultureName, Ps.Value.CultureNameSelector);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns a <see cref="CultureInfo"/> object for the current Language
         /// </summary>
         [IgnoreDataMember]
-        public CultureInfo CultureInfo
-        {
-            get { return CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo(IsoCode); }
-        }
+        public CultureInfo CultureInfo => CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo(IsoCode);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Rdbms/ContentDto.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Rdbms/ContentDto.cs
index 8e3e05064c..19f6f8b4f1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Rdbms/ContentDto.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Rdbms/ContentDto.cs
@@ -21,13 +21,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models.Rdbms
         [ForeignKey(typeof(ContentTypeDto), Column = "NodeId")]
         public int ContentTypeId { get; set; }
 
-        [Column("writerUserId")]
-        public int WriterUserId { get; set; }
-
-        [Column("updateDate")]
-        [Constraint(Default = SystemMethods.CurrentDateTime)]
-        public DateTime UpdateDate { get; set; }
-
         [ResultColumn]
         [Reference(ReferenceType.OneToOne, ColumnName = "NodeId")]
         public NodeDto NodeDto { get; set; }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/ContentFactory.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/ContentFactory.cs
index 9d54f7b80d..22f5191009 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/ContentFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/ContentFactory.cs
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
                 content.Trashed = nodeDto.Trashed;
 
                 content.CreatorId = nodeDto.UserId ?? 0;
-                content.WriterId = contentDto.WriterUserId;
+                content.WriterId = contentVersionDto.UserId;
                 content.CreateDate = nodeDto.CreateDate;
-                content.UpdateDate = contentDto.UpdateDate;
+                content.UpdateDate = contentVersionDto.VersionDate;
 
                 content.Published = dto.Published;
                 content.Edited = dto.Edited;
@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
             {
                 NodeId = entity.Id,
                 ContentTypeId = entity.ContentTypeId,
-                WriterUserId = entity.WriterId,
-                UpdateDate = entity.UpdateDate,
 
                 NodeDto = BuildNodeDto(entity, objectType)
             };
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MediaFactory.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MediaFactory.cs
index 61b74213cc..ef1a6abaa1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MediaFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MediaFactory.cs
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
                 content.Trashed = nodeDto.Trashed;
 
                 content.CreatorId = nodeDto.UserId ?? 0;
-                content.WriterId = dto.WriterUserId;
+                content.WriterId = contentVersionDto.UserId;
                 content.CreateDate = nodeDto.CreateDate;
-                content.UpdateDate = dto.UpdateDate;
+                content.UpdateDate = contentVersionDto.VersionDate;
 
                 // reset dirty initial properties (U4-1946)
                 content.ResetDirtyProperties(false);
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
             {
                 NodeId = entity.Id,
                 ContentTypeId = entity.ContentTypeId,
-                WriterUserId = entity.WriterId,
-                UpdateDate = entity.UpdateDate,
 
                 NodeDto = BuildNodeDto(entity, objectType)
             };
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MemberFactory.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MemberFactory.cs
index 6b05ea65f7..fd9b2fb6c0 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MemberFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/MemberFactory.cs
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
                 content.Trashed = nodeDto.Trashed;
 
                 content.CreatorId = nodeDto.UserId ?? 0;
-                content.WriterId = dto.ContentDto.WriterUserId;
+                content.WriterId = contentVersionDto.UserId;
                 content.CreateDate = nodeDto.CreateDate;
-                content.UpdateDate = dto.ContentDto.UpdateDate;
+                content.UpdateDate = contentVersionDto.VersionDate;
 
                 content.ProviderUserKey = content.Key; // fixme explain
 
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
             {
                 NodeId = entity.Id,
                 ContentTypeId = entity.ContentTypeId,
-                WriterUserId = entity.WriterId,
-                UpdateDate = entity.UpdateDate,
 
                 NodeDto = BuildNodeDto(entity, objectType)
             };
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Migrations/Upgrades/TargetVersionEight/VariantsMigration.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Migrations/Upgrades/TargetVersionEight/VariantsMigration.cs
index 31c8d7ba55..561bd13250 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Migrations/Upgrades/TargetVersionEight/VariantsMigration.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Migrations/Upgrades/TargetVersionEight/VariantsMigration.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
 using Umbraco.Core.Models.Rdbms;
 using Umbraco.Core.Persistence.DatabaseModelDefinitions;
@@ -29,6 +30,30 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Migrations.Upgrades.TargetVersionEight
             MigrateContent();
             MigrateVersions();
 
+            Execute.Code(context =>
+            {
+                if (context.Database.Fetch<dynamic>(@"SELECT uContentVersion.nodeId, COUNT(uContentVersion.id)
+FROM uContentVersion
+JOIN uDocumentVersion ON uContentVersion.id=uDocumentVersion.id
+WHERE uDocumentVersion.published=1
+GROUP BY uContentVersion.nodeId
+HAVING COUNT(uContentVersion.id) > 1").Any())
+                {
+                    Debugger.Break();
+                    throw new Exception("Migration failed: duplicate 'published' document versions.");
+                }
+                if (context.Database.Fetch<dynamic>(@"SELECT v1.nodeId, v1.id, COUNT(v2.id)
+FROM uContentVersion v1
+LEFT JOIN uContentVersion v2 ON v1.nodeId=v2.nodeId AND v2.[current]=1
+GROUP BY v1.nodeId, v1.id
+HAVING COUNT(v2.id) <> 1").Any())
+                {
+                    Debugger.Break();
+                    throw new Exception("Migration failed: missing or duplicate 'current' content versions.");
+                }
+                return string.Empty;
+            });
+
             // re-create *all* keys and indexes
             //Create.KeysAndIndexes<PropertyDataDto>();
             foreach (var x in DatabaseSchemaCreation.OrderedTables)
@@ -93,32 +118,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Migrations.Upgrades.TargetVersionEight
             if (ColumnExists(PreTables.Content, "contentType"))
                 ReplaceColumn<ContentDto>(PreTables.Content, "contentType", "contentTypeId");
 
-            // add columns
-            // fixme - why? why cannot we do it with the current version? we don't need those two columns!
-            if (!ColumnExists(PreTables.Content, "writerUserId"))
-            {
-                AddColumn<ContentDto>(PreTables.Content, "writerUserId", out var sqls);
-                Execute.Sql($"UPDATE {PreTables.Content} SET writerUserId=0");
-                foreach (var sql in sqls) Execute.Sql(sql);
-            }
-            if (!ColumnExists(PreTables.Content, "updateDate"))
-            {
-                AddColumn<ContentDto>(PreTables.Content, "updateDate", out var sqls);
-                var getDate = Context.SqlContext.DatabaseType.IsMySql() ? "CURRENT_TIMESTAMP" : "GETDATE()"; // sqlSyntax should do it!
-                Execute.Sql($"UPDATE {PreTables.Content} SET updateDate=" + getDate);
-                foreach (var sql in sqls) Execute.Sql(sql);
-            }
-
-            // copy data for added columns
-            Execute.Code(context =>
-            {
-                // SQLCE does not support UPDATE...FROM
-                var temp = context.Database.Fetch<dynamic>($"SELECT nodeId, documentUser, updateDate FROM {PreTables.Document} WHERE newest=1");
-                foreach (var t in temp)
-                    context.Database.Execute($@"UPDATE {PreTables.Content} SET writerUserId=@userId, updateDate=@updateDate", new { userId = t.documentUser, updateDate = t.updateDate });
-                return string.Empty;
-            });
-
             // drop columns
             if (ColumnExists(PreTables.Content, "pk"))
                 Delete.Column("pk").FromTable(PreTables.Content);
@@ -196,32 +195,43 @@ WHERE cver.versionId NOT IN (SELECT versionId FROM {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName
             Execute.Sql($@"INSERT INTO {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.DocumentVersion)} (id, templateId, published)
 SELECT cver.id, doc.templateId, doc.published
 FROM {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.ContentVersion)} cver
-JOIN {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.Document)} doc ON doc.versionId=cver.versionId");
+JOIN {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.Document)} doc ON doc.nodeId=cver.nodeId AND doc.versionId=cver.versionId");
 
             // need to add extra rows for where published=newest
             // 'cos INSERT above has inserted the 'published' document version
             // and v8 always has a 'edited' document version too
             Execute.Code(context =>
             {
-                var temp = context.Database.Fetch<dynamic>($@"SELECT doc.nodeId, doc.versionId, doc.updateDate, doc.documentUser, doc.text, doc.templateId
+                var temp = context.Database.Fetch<dynamic>($@"SELECT doc.nodeId, doc.updateDate, doc.documentUser, doc.text, doc.templateId, cver.id versionId
 FROM {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.Document)} doc
+JOIN {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.ContentVersion)} cver ON doc.nodeId=cver.nodeId AND doc.versionId=cver.versionId
 WHERE doc.newest=1 AND doc.published=1");
+                var getIdentity = context.SqlContext.DatabaseType.IsMySql()
+                    ? "LAST_INSERT_ID()"
+                    : "@@@@IDENTITY";
                 foreach (var t in temp)
                 {
                     context.Database.Execute($@"INSERT INTO {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.ContentVersion)} (nodeId, versionId, versionDate, userId, {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("current")}, text)
-VALUES (@nodeId, @versionId, @versionDate, @userId, 1, @text)", new { nodeId=t.nodeId, versionId= Guid.NewGuid(), versionDate=t.updateDate, userId=t.documentUser, text=t.text });
-                    var id = context.Database.ExecuteScalar<int>($@"SELECT @@@@IDENTITY"); // fixme mysql
+VALUES (@nodeId, @versionId, @versionDate, @userId, 1, @text)", new { nodeId=t.nodeId, versionId=Guid.NewGuid(), versionDate=t.updateDate, userId=t.documentUser, text=t.text });
+                    var id = context.Database.ExecuteScalar<int>("SELECT " + getIdentity);
+                    context.Database.Execute($"UPDATE {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(PreTables.ContentVersion)} SET {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("current")}=0 WHERE nodeId=@0 AND id<>@1", (int) t.nodeId, id);
                     context.Database.Execute($@"INSERT INTO {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedTableName(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.DocumentVersion)} (id, templateId, published)
-VALUES (@id, @templateId, 1)", new { id=id, templateId=t.templateId });
+VALUES (@id, @templateId, 0)", new { id=id, templateId=t.templateId });
+
+                    var versionId = (int) t.versionId;
+                    var pdatas = context.Database.Fetch<PropertyDataDto>(Sql().Select<PropertyDataDto>().From<PropertyDataDto>().Where<PropertyDataDto>(x => x.VersionId == versionId));
+                    foreach (var pdata in pdatas)
+                    {
+                        pdata.VersionId = id;
+                        context.Database.Insert(pdata);
+                    }
                 }
                 return string.Empty;
             });
 
-            // fixme these extra rows need propertydata too!
-
             // reduce document to 1 row per content
             Execute.Sql($@"DELETE FROM {PreTables.Document}
-WHERE versionId NOT IN (SELECT (versionId) FROM {PreTables.ContentVersion} WHERE {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("current")} = 1)");
+WHERE versionId NOT IN (SELECT (versionId) FROM {PreTables.ContentVersion} WHERE {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("current")} = 1) AND (published<>1 OR newest<>1)");
 
             // drop some document columns
             Delete.Column("text").FromTable(PreTables.Document);
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/ContentRepository.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/ContentRepository.cs
index 8df698ce0f..88ac07c448 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/ContentRepository.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/ContentRepository.cs
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories
             {
                 case "UPDATER":
                     // fixme orders by id not letter = bad
-                    return GetDatabaseFieldNameForOrderBy(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Document, "writerUserId");
+                    return GetDatabaseFieldNameForOrderBy(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.ContentVersion, "userId");
                 case "PUBLISHED":
                     // fixme kill
                     return GetDatabaseFieldNameForOrderBy(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Document, "published");