diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v0alpha1.json b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v0alpha1.json
index 047f8ec917b..f68749927e5 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v0alpha1.json
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v0alpha1.json
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
           "x": 0,
           "y": 0
         },
-        "id": 1,
+        "id": 23,
         "options": {
           "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
           "mode": "markdown"
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2alpha1.json b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2alpha1.json
index 52c19734101..614a5cdc682 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2alpha1.json
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2alpha1.json
@@ -31,53 +31,6 @@
     "cursorSync": "Off",
     "editable": false,
     "elements": {
-      "panel-1": {
-        "kind": "Panel",
-        "spec": {
-          "id": 1,
-          "title": "Application Monitoring",
-          "description": "",
-          "links": [],
-          "data": {
-            "kind": "QueryGroup",
-            "spec": {
-              "queries": [
-                {
-                  "kind": "PanelQuery",
-                  "spec": {
-                    "query": {
-                      "kind": "prometheus",
-                      "spec": {}
-                    },
-                    "datasource": {
-                      "type": "prometheus",
-                      "uid": "default-ds-uid"
-                    },
-                    "refId": "A",
-                    "hidden": false
-                  }
-                }
-              ],
-              "transformations": [],
-              "queryOptions": {}
-            }
-          },
-          "vizConfig": {
-            "kind": "text",
-            "spec": {
-              "pluginVersion": "",
-              "options": {
-                "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
-                "mode": "markdown"
-              },
-              "fieldConfig": {
-                "defaults": {},
-                "overrides": []
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      },
       "panel-10": {
         "kind": "Panel",
         "spec": {
@@ -1024,6 +977,53 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "panel-23": {
+        "kind": "Panel",
+        "spec": {
+          "id": 23,
+          "title": "Application Monitoring",
+          "description": "",
+          "links": [],
+          "data": {
+            "kind": "QueryGroup",
+            "spec": {
+              "queries": [
+                {
+                  "kind": "PanelQuery",
+                  "spec": {
+                    "query": {
+                      "kind": "prometheus",
+                      "spec": {}
+                    },
+                    "datasource": {
+                      "type": "prometheus",
+                      "uid": "default-ds-uid"
+                    },
+                    "refId": "A",
+                    "hidden": false
+                  }
+                }
+              ],
+              "transformations": [],
+              "queryOptions": {}
+            }
+          },
+          "vizConfig": {
+            "kind": "text",
+            "spec": {
+              "pluginVersion": "",
+              "options": {
+                "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
+                "mode": "markdown"
+              },
+              "fieldConfig": {
+                "defaults": {},
+                "overrides": []
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "panel-6": {
         "kind": "Panel",
         "spec": {
@@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@
                         "height": 3,
                         "element": {
                           "kind": "ElementReference",
-                          "name": "panel-1"
+                          "name": "panel-23"
                         }
                       }
                     }
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2beta1.json b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2beta1.json
index 49e7fb1d9e7..bfb6ae710dc 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2beta1.json
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/conversion/testdata/migrated_dashboards_output/v1beta1-mig-v16.span_zero_demo.v42.v2beta1.json
@@ -32,55 +32,6 @@
     "cursorSync": "Off",
     "editable": false,
     "elements": {
-      "panel-1": {
-        "kind": "Panel",
-        "spec": {
-          "id": 1,
-          "title": "Application Monitoring",
-          "description": "",
-          "links": [],
-          "data": {
-            "kind": "QueryGroup",
-            "spec": {
-              "queries": [
-                {
-                  "kind": "PanelQuery",
-                  "spec": {
-                    "query": {
-                      "kind": "DataQuery",
-                      "group": "prometheus",
-                      "version": "v0",
-                      "datasource": {
-                        "name": "default-ds-uid"
-                      },
-                      "spec": {}
-                    },
-                    "refId": "A",
-                    "hidden": false
-                  }
-                }
-              ],
-              "transformations": [],
-              "queryOptions": {}
-            }
-          },
-          "vizConfig": {
-            "kind": "VizConfig",
-            "group": "text",
-            "version": "",
-            "spec": {
-              "options": {
-                "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
-                "mode": "markdown"
-              },
-              "fieldConfig": {
-                "defaults": {},
-                "overrides": []
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      },
       "panel-10": {
         "kind": "Panel",
         "spec": {
@@ -1067,6 +1018,55 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "panel-23": {
+        "kind": "Panel",
+        "spec": {
+          "id": 23,
+          "title": "Application Monitoring",
+          "description": "",
+          "links": [],
+          "data": {
+            "kind": "QueryGroup",
+            "spec": {
+              "queries": [
+                {
+                  "kind": "PanelQuery",
+                  "spec": {
+                    "query": {
+                      "kind": "DataQuery",
+                      "group": "prometheus",
+                      "version": "v0",
+                      "datasource": {
+                        "name": "default-ds-uid"
+                      },
+                      "spec": {}
+                    },
+                    "refId": "A",
+                    "hidden": false
+                  }
+                }
+              ],
+              "transformations": [],
+              "queryOptions": {}
+            }
+          },
+          "vizConfig": {
+            "kind": "VizConfig",
+            "group": "text",
+            "version": "",
+            "spec": {
+              "options": {
+                "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
+                "mode": "markdown"
+              },
+              "fieldConfig": {
+                "defaults": {},
+                "overrides": []
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "panel-6": {
         "kind": "Panel",
         "spec": {
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@
                         "height": 3,
                         "element": {
                           "kind": "ElementReference",
-                          "name": "panel-1"
+                          "name": "panel-23"
                         }
                       }
                     }
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/frontend_defaults.go b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/frontend_defaults.go
index 9a9e6c72929..82d40841a0e 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/frontend_defaults.go
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/frontend_defaults.go
@@ -432,9 +432,7 @@ func getPanels(dashboard map[string]interface{}) []map[string]interface{} {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Also get panels from rows (pre-v16 dashboard format)
-	// This is needed for ensurePanelsHaveUniqueIds to work correctly
-	// before the row upgrade migration runs
+	// Also get panels from rows
 	if rows, ok := dashboard["rows"].([]interface{}); ok {
 		for _, rowInterface := range rows {
 			if row, ok := rowInterface.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/latest_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v42.json b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/latest_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v42.json
index 91012684ebf..2b565a7117c 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/latest_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v42.json
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/latest_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v42.json
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
         "x": 0,
         "y": 0
       },
-      "id": 1,
+      "id": 23,
       "options": {
         "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
         "mode": "markdown"
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/single_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v16.json b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/single_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v16.json
index 089f4ac16d3..473a1bfe023 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/single_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v16.json
+++ b/apps/dashboard/pkg/migration/testdata/output/single_version/v16.span_zero_demo.v16.json
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
         "x": 0,
         "y": 0
       },
-      "id": 1,
+      "id": 23,
       "options": {
         "content": "This dashboard demonstrates various monitoring components for application observability and performance metrics.\n",
         "mode": "markdown"