diff --git a/src/mongo/db/s/shard_filtering_metadata_refresh.cpp b/src/mongo/db/s/shard_filtering_metadata_refresh.cpp
index 0895d38bd84..55bd6297888 100644
--- a/src/mongo/db/s/shard_filtering_metadata_refresh.cpp
+++ b/src/mongo/db/s/shard_filtering_metadata_refresh.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,25 @@ MONGO_FAIL_POINT_DEFINE(skipDatabaseVersionMetadataRefresh);
 MONGO_FAIL_POINT_DEFINE(skipShardFilteringMetadataRefresh);
 MONGO_FAIL_POINT_DEFINE(hangInRecoverRefreshThread);
 
+SharedSemiFuture<void> asyncDbVersionRefresh(OperationContext* opCtx, StringData dbName) {
+    return ExecutorFuture<void>{Grid::get(opCtx)->getExecutorPool()->getFixedExecutor()}
+        .then([serviceCtx{opCtx->getServiceContext()}, dbName] {
+            ThreadClient tc{"RefreshDbVersionThread", serviceCtx};
+            {
+                stdx::lock_guard<Client> lk{*tc.get()};
+                tc->setSystemOperationKillableByStepdown(lk);
+            }
+
+            const auto uniqueOpCtx{tc->makeOperationContext()};
+            auto opCtx{uniqueOpCtx.get()};
+            opCtx->setAlwaysInterruptAtStepDownOrUp_UNSAFE();
+
+            forceDatabaseRefresh(opCtx, dbName);
+        })
+        .semi()
+        .share();
+}
+
 void onDbVersionMismatch(OperationContext* opCtx,
                          const StringData dbName,
                          boost::optional<DatabaseVersion> clientDbVersion) {
@@ -91,7 +110,15 @@ void onDbVersionMismatch(OperationContext* opCtx,
         return;
     }
 
-    forceDatabaseRefresh(opCtx, dbName);
+    logd("DEBUG-0 Refreshing... db={}", dbName);
+    auto future = asyncDbVersionRefresh(opCtx, dbName);
+    try {
+        future.get(opCtx);
+    } catch (const DBException& e) {
+        logd("DEBUG-0 EXCEPTION db={} e={}", dbName, e);
+        throw;
+    }
+    logd("DEBUG-1 Refreshed db={}", dbName);
 }
 
 // Return true if joins a shard version update/recover/refresh (in that case, all locks are dropped)
@@ -526,7 +553,9 @@ void forceDatabaseRefresh(OperationContext* opCtx, const StringData dbName) {
 
     // The cached version is older than the refreshed version; update the cached version.
     // TODO SERVER-67440 Use dbName directly
+    logd("DEBUG-1 Locking... db={}", dbName);
     Lock::DBLock dbLock(opCtx, DatabaseName(boost::none, dbName), MODE_X);
+    logd("DEBUG-1 Locked db={}", dbName);
     DatabaseHolder::get(opCtx)->openDb(opCtx, dbName);
     DatabaseHolder::get(opCtx)->setDbInfo(opCtx, dbName, *refreshedDbInfo);
 }