diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/ApplicationContext.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/ApplicationContext.cs
index 79180550f0..ca54afb7b1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/ApplicationContext.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/ApplicationContext.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Configuration;
 using System.Threading;
+using Semver;
 using Umbraco.Core.Configuration;
 using Umbraco.Core.Logging;
 using Umbraco.Core.ObjectResolution;
@@ -341,6 +342,52 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core
 			}
 		}
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the Current Version of the Umbraco Site before an upgrade
+        /// by using the last/most recent Umbraco Migration that has been run
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>A SemVersion of the latest Umbraco DB Migration run</returns>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// NOTE: This existed in the InstallHelper previously but should really be here so it can be re-used if necessary
+        /// </remarks>
+        internal SemVersion CurrentVersion()
+        {
+            //Set a default version of 0.0.0
+            var version = new SemVersion(0);
+
+            //If we have a db context available, if we don't then we are not installed anyways
+            if (DatabaseContext.IsDatabaseConfigured && DatabaseContext.CanConnect)
+                version = DatabaseContext.ValidateDatabaseSchema().DetermineInstalledVersionByMigrations(Services.MigrationEntryService);
+
+            if (version != new SemVersion(0))
+                return version;
+
+            // If we aren't able to get a result from the umbracoMigrations table then use the version in web.config, if it's available
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(GlobalSettings.ConfigurationStatus))
+                return version;
+
+            var configuredVersion = GlobalSettings.ConfigurationStatus;
+
+            string currentComment = null;
+
+            var current = configuredVersion.Split('-');
+            if (current.Length > 1)
+                currentComment = current[1];
+
+            Version currentVersion;
+            if (Version.TryParse(current[0], out currentVersion))
+            {
+                version = new SemVersion(
+                    currentVersion.Major,
+                    currentVersion.Minor,
+                    currentVersion.Build,
+                    string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(currentComment) ? null : currentComment,
+                    currentVersion.Revision > 0 ? currentVersion.Revision.ToString() : null);
+            }
+
+            return version;
+        }
+
         private void AssertIsNotReady()
         {
             if (this.IsReady)
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Security/BackOfficeCookieAuthenticationProvider.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Security/BackOfficeCookieAuthenticationProvider.cs
index 0a51359bde..3ff1266c6b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Security/BackOfficeCookieAuthenticationProvider.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Security/BackOfficeCookieAuthenticationProvider.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity;
 using Microsoft.Owin;
 using Microsoft.Owin.Security.Cookies;
+using Semver;
 using Umbraco.Core.Configuration;
 using Umbraco.Core.Models.Identity;
 
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Security
             _appCtx = appCtx;
         }
 
+        private static readonly SemVersion MinUmbracoVersionSupportingLoginSessions = new SemVersion(7, 8);
+
         public override void ResponseSignIn(CookieResponseSignInContext context)
         {
             var backOfficeIdentity = context.Identity as UmbracoBackOfficeIdentity;
@@ -39,7 +42,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Security
                 //generate a session id and assign it
                 //create a session token - if we are configured and not in an upgrade state then use the db, otherwise just generate one
 
-                var session = _appCtx.IsConfigured && _appCtx.IsUpgrading == false
+                //NOTE - special check because when we are upgrading to 7.8 we cannot create a session since the db isn't ready and we'll get exceptions
+                var canAcquireSession = _appCtx.IsUpgrading == false || _appCtx.CurrentVersion() >= MinUmbracoVersionSupportingLoginSessions;
+
+                var session = canAcquireSession
                     ? _appCtx.Services.UserService.CreateLoginSession((int)backOfficeIdentity.Id, context.OwinContext.GetCurrentRequestIpAddress())
                     : Guid.NewGuid();
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallHelper.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallHelper.cs
index a3069342fc..b2c3d1213d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallHelper.cs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ using System.Net.Http;
 using System.Web;
 using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
 using System.Web.UI;
+using Semver;
 using umbraco.BusinessLogic;
 using Umbraco.Core;
 using Umbraco.Core.Configuration;
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install
             _umbContext = umbContext;
         }
 
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Get the installer steps
         /// </summary>
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install
             return new List<InstallSetupStep>
             {
                 new NewInstallStep(_umbContext.HttpContext, _umbContext.Application),
-                new UpgradeStep(),
+                new UpgradeStep(_umbContext.Application),
                 new FilePermissionsStep(),
                 new MajorVersion7UpgradeReport(_umbContext.Application),
                 new Version73FileCleanup(_umbContext.HttpContext, _umbContext.Application.ProfilingLogger.Logger),
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/UpgradeStep.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/UpgradeStep.cs
index 5ef2577179..902cae8096 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/UpgradeStep.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/UpgradeStep.cs
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install.InstallSteps
         "Upgrade", "upgrade", 1, "Upgrading Umbraco to the latest and greatest version.")]
     internal class UpgradeStep : InstallSetupStep<object>
     {
+        private readonly ApplicationContext _appCtx;
+
+        public UpgradeStep(ApplicationContext appCtx)
+        {
+            _appCtx = appCtx;
+        }
+
         public override bool RequiresExecution(object model)
         {
             return true;
@@ -28,7 +35,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install.InstallSteps
         {
             get
             {
-                var currentVersion = CurrentVersion().GetVersion(3).ToString();
+                var currentVersion = _appCtx.CurrentVersion().GetVersion(3).ToString();
                 var newVersion = UmbracoVersion.Current.ToString();
                 var reportUrl = string.Format("https://our.umbraco.org/contribute/releases/compare?from={0}&to={1}&notes=1", currentVersion, newVersion);
 
@@ -42,47 +49,5 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install.InstallSteps
             }
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets the Current Version of the Umbraco Site before an upgrade
-        /// by using the last/most recent Umbraco Migration that has been run
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <returns>A SemVersion of the latest Umbraco DB Migration run</returns>
-        private SemVersion CurrentVersion()
-        {
-            //Set a default version of 0.0.0
-            var version = new SemVersion(0);
-
-            //If we have a db context available, if we don't then we are not installed anyways
-            if (ApplicationContext.Current.DatabaseContext.IsDatabaseConfigured && ApplicationContext.Current.DatabaseContext.CanConnect)
-                version = ApplicationContext.Current.DatabaseContext.ValidateDatabaseSchema().DetermineInstalledVersionByMigrations(ApplicationContext.Current.Services.MigrationEntryService);
-
-            if (version != new SemVersion(0))
-                return version;
-
-            // If we aren't able to get a result from the umbracoMigrations table then use the version in web.config, if it's available
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(GlobalSettings.ConfigurationStatus))
-                return version;
-
-            var configuredVersion = GlobalSettings.ConfigurationStatus;
-
-            string currentComment = null;
-
-            var current = configuredVersion.Split('-');
-            if (current.Length > 1)
-                currentComment = current[1];
-
-            Version currentVersion;
-            if (Version.TryParse(current[0], out currentVersion))
-            {
-                version = new SemVersion(
-                    currentVersion.Major,
-                    currentVersion.Minor,
-                    currentVersion.Build,
-                    string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(currentComment) ? null : currentComment,
-                    currentVersion.Revision > 0 ? currentVersion.Revision.ToString() : null);
-            }
-
-            return version;
-        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file