diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/channel.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/channel.dart
index c100112c3c3..e0daef10a48 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/channel.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/channel.dart
@@ -123,7 +123,10 @@ class ChannelCommand extends FlutterCommand {
 
   Future<void> _switchChannel(String branchName) async {
     globals.printStatus("Switching to flutter channel '$branchName'...");
-    if (!kOfficialChannels.contains(branchName)) {
+    if (kObsoleteBranches.containsKey(branchName)) {
+      final String alternative = kObsoleteBranches[branchName]!;
+      globals.printStatus("This channel is obsolete. Consider switching to the '$alternative' channel instead.");
+    } else if (!kOfficialChannels.contains(branchName)) {
       globals.printStatus('This is not an official channel. For a list of available channels, try "flutter channel".');
     }
     await _checkout(branchName);
@@ -131,6 +134,15 @@ class ChannelCommand extends FlutterCommand {
     globals.printStatus("To ensure that you're on the latest build from this channel, run 'flutter upgrade'");
   }
 
+  static Future<void> upgradeChannel(FlutterVersion currentVersion) async {
+    final String channel = currentVersion.channel;
+    if (kObsoleteBranches.containsKey(channel)) {
+      final String alternative = kObsoleteBranches[channel]!;
+      globals.printStatus("Transitioning from '$channel' to '$alternative'...");
+      return _checkout(alternative);
+    }
+  }
+
   static Future<void> _checkout(String branchName) async {
     // Get latest refs from upstream.
     int result = await globals.processUtils.stream(
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/upgrade.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/upgrade.dart
index 3ed0cff563a..788844e946b 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/upgrade.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/upgrade.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import '../globals.dart' as globals;
 import '../persistent_tool_state.dart';
 import '../runner/flutter_command.dart';
 import '../version.dart';
+import 'channel.dart';
 
 // The official docs to install Flutter.
 const String _flutterInstallDocs = 'https://flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install';
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ class UpgradeCommandRunner {
       );
     }
     recordState(flutterVersion);
+    await ChannelCommand.upgradeChannel(flutterVersion);
     globals.printStatus('Upgrading Flutter to ${upstreamVersion.frameworkVersion} from ${flutterVersion.frameworkVersion} in $workingDirectory...');
     await attemptReset(upstreamVersion.frameworkRevision);
     if (!testFlow) {
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/persistent_tool_state.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/persistent_tool_state.dart
index cdccc3bbac4..34ff2135259 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/persistent_tool_state.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/persistent_tool_state.dart
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ class _DefaultPersistentToolState implements PersistentToolState {
   static const String _kRedisplayWelcomeMessage = 'redisplay-welcome-message';
   static const Map<Channel, String> _lastActiveVersionKeys = <Channel,String>{
     Channel.master: 'last-active-master-version',
-    Channel.dev: 'last-active-dev-version',
     Channel.beta: 'last-active-beta-version',
     Channel.stable: 'last-active-stable-version'
   };
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/version.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/version.dart
index aeb3de5973a..03546c06a9a 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/version.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/version.dart
@@ -16,11 +16,18 @@ import 'globals.dart' as globals;
 
 const String _unknownFrameworkVersion = '0.0.0-unknown';
 
+/// This maps old branch names to the names of branches that replaced them.
+///
+/// For example, in 2021 we deprecated the "dev" channel and transitioned "dev"
+/// users to the "beta" channel.
+const Map<String, String> kObsoleteBranches = <String, String>{
+  'dev': 'beta',
+};
+
 /// The names of each channel/branch in order of increasing stability.
 enum Channel {
   // TODO(fujino): update to main https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/95041
   master,
-  dev,
   beta,
   stable,
 }
@@ -28,7 +35,6 @@ enum Channel {
 // Beware: Keep order in accordance with stability
 const Set<String> kOfficialChannels = <String>{
   globals.kDefaultFrameworkChannel,
-  'dev',
   'beta',
   'stable',
 };
@@ -320,7 +326,7 @@ class FlutterVersion {
     }();
     if (redactUnknownBranches || _branch!.isEmpty) {
       // Only return the branch names we know about; arbitrary branch names might contain PII.
-      if (!kOfficialChannels.contains(_branch)) {
+      if (!kOfficialChannels.contains(_branch) && !kObsoleteBranches.containsKey(_branch)) {
         return '[user-branch]';
       }
     }
@@ -634,6 +640,7 @@ class GitTagVersion {
         _runGit('git fetch ${globals.flutterGit} --tags -f', processUtils, workingDirectory);
       }
     }
+    // find all tags attached to the given [gitRef]
     final List<String> tags = _runGit(
       'git tag --points-at $gitRef', processUtils, workingDirectory).trim().split('\n');
 
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/downgrade_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/downgrade_test.dart
index 3f0c113bbe2..127744eaa1f 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/downgrade_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/downgrade_test.dart
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   testUsingContext('Downgrade exits on no recorded version', () async {
-    final FakeFlutterVersion fakeFlutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+    final FakeFlutterVersion fakeFlutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
     fileSystem.currentDirectory.childFile('.flutter_tool_state')
       .writeAsStringSync('{"last-active-master-version":"abcd"}');
     final DowngradeCommand command = DowngradeCommand(
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void main() {
 
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(const <String>['downgrade']),
       throwsToolExit(message:
-        'There is no previously recorded version for channel "dev".\n'
+        'There is no previously recorded version for channel "beta".\n'
         'Channel "master" was previously on: v1.2.3.'
       ),
     );
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/upgrade_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/upgrade_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b758713ad93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/upgrade_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+// Copyright 2014 The Flutter Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+// found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// @dart = 2.8
+
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:args/command_runner.dart';
+import 'package:file/file.dart';
+import 'package:file/memory.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_tools/src/base/logger.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_tools/src/cache.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_tools/src/commands/upgrade.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_tools/src/version.dart';
+
+import '../../src/common.dart';
+import '../../src/context.dart';
+import '../../src/fake_process_manager.dart';
+import '../../src/fakes.dart' show FakeFlutterVersion;
+import '../../src/test_flutter_command_runner.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  FileSystem fileSystem;
+  BufferLogger logger;
+  FakeProcessManager processManager;
+  UpgradeCommand command;
+  CommandRunner<void> runner;
+  FlutterVersion flutterVersion;
+
+  setUpAll(() {
+    Cache.disableLocking();
+  });
+
+  setUp(() {
+    fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
+    logger = BufferLogger.test();
+    processManager = FakeProcessManager.empty();
+    command = UpgradeCommand(
+      verboseHelp: false,
+    );
+    runner = createTestCommandRunner(command);
+  });
+
+  testUsingContext('can auto-migrate a user from dev to beta', () async {
+    const String startingTag = '3.0.0-1.2.pre';
+    flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+    const String latestUpstreamTag = '3.0.0-1.3.pre';
+    const String upstreamHeadRevision = 'deadbeef';
+    final Completer<void> reEntryCompleter = Completer<void>();
+
+    Future<void> reEnterTool() async {
+      await runner.run(<String>['upgrade', '--continue', '--no-version-check']);
+      reEntryCompleter.complete();
+    }
+
+    processManager.addCommands(<FakeCommand>[
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'tag', '--points-at', 'HEAD'],
+        stdout: startingTag,
+      ),
+      // Ensure we have upstream tags present locally
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'fetch', '--tags'],
+      ),
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'rev-parse', '--verify', '@{u}'],
+        stdout: upstreamHeadRevision,
+      ),
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'tag', '--points-at', upstreamHeadRevision],
+        stdout: latestUpstreamTag,
+      ),
+      // check for uncommitted changes; empty stdout means clean checkout
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'status', '-s'],
+      ),
+
+      // here the tool is upgrading the branch from dev -> beta
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'fetch'],
+      ),
+      // test if there already exists a local beta branch; 0 exit code means yes
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'show-ref', '--verify', '--quiet', 'refs/heads/beta'],
+      ),
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'checkout', 'beta', '--'],
+      ),
+
+      // reset instead of pull since cherrypicks from one release branch will
+      // not be present on a newer one
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'reset', '--hard', upstreamHeadRevision],
+      ),
+      // re-enter flutter command with the newer version, so that `doctor`
+      // checks will be up to date
+      FakeCommand(
+        command: const <String>['bin/flutter', 'upgrade', '--continue', '--no-version-check'],
+        onRun: reEnterTool,
+        completer: reEntryCompleter,
+      ),
+
+      // commands following this are from the re-entrant `flutter upgrade --continue` call
+
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['git', 'tag', '--points-at', 'HEAD'],
+        stdout: latestUpstreamTag,
+      ),
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['bin/flutter', '--no-color', '--no-version-check', 'precache'],
+      ),
+      const FakeCommand(
+        command: <String>['bin/flutter', '--no-version-check', 'doctor'],
+      ),
+    ]);
+    await runner.run(<String>['upgrade']);
+    expect(processManager, hasNoRemainingExpectations);
+    expect(logger.statusText, contains("Transitioning from 'dev' to 'beta'..."));
+  }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
+    FileSystem: () => fileSystem,
+    FlutterVersion: () => flutterVersion,
+    Logger: () => logger,
+    ProcessManager: () => processManager,
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/permeable/upgrade_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/permeable/upgrade_test.dart
index 4821d907100..010294952e8 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/permeable/upgrade_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/permeable/upgrade_test.dart
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     testUsingContext('throws on unknown tag, official branch,  noforce', () async {
-      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
       const String upstreamRevision = '';
       final FakeFlutterVersion latestVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: upstreamRevision);
       fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = latestVersion;
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     testUsingContext('throws tool exit with uncommitted changes', () async {
-      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
       const String upstreamRevision = '';
       final FakeFlutterVersion latestVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: upstreamRevision);
       fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = latestVersion;
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ void main() {
       Platform: () => fakePlatform,
     });
 
-    testUsingContext("Doesn't continue on known tag, dev branch, no force, already up-to-date", () async {
+    testUsingContext("Doesn't continue on known tag, beta branch, no force, already up-to-date", () async {
       const String revision = 'abc123';
       final FakeFlutterVersion latestVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: revision);
-      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev', frameworkRevision: revision);
+      final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta', frameworkRevision: revision);
       fakeCommandRunner.alreadyUpToDate = true;
       fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = latestVersion;
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void main() {
       const String upstreamVersion = '4.5.6';
 
       final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-        channel: 'dev',
+        channel: 'beta',
         frameworkRevision: revision,
         frameworkRevisionShort: revision,
         frameworkVersion: version,
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('throws toolExit if repository url is null', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
           repositoryUrl: null,
         );
 
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('does not throw toolExit at standard remote url with FLUTTER_GIT_URL unset', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
         );
         expect(() => realCommandRunner.verifyStandardRemote(flutterVersion), returnsNormally);
         expect(processManager, hasNoRemainingExpectations);
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('throws toolExit at non-standard remote url with FLUTTER_GIT_URL unset', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
           repositoryUrl: flutterNonStandardUrlDotGit,
         );
 
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('does not throw toolExit at non-standard remote url with FLUTTER_GIT_URL set', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
           repositoryUrl: flutterNonStandardUrlDotGit,
         );
 
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('throws toolExit at remote url and FLUTTER_GIT_URL set to different urls', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
           repositoryUrl: flutterNonStandardUrlDotGit,
         );
 
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('exempts standard ssh url from check with FLUTTER_GIT_URL unset', () async {
         final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-          channel: 'dev',
+          channel: 'beta',
           repositoryUrl: flutterStandardSshUrl,
         );
 
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ void main() {
       const String upstreamVersion = '4.5.6';
 
       final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(
-        channel: 'dev',
+        channel: 'beta',
         frameworkRevision: revision,
         frameworkVersion: version,
       );
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ void main() {
 
       testUsingContext('does not throw on unknown tag, official branch, force', () async {
         fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: null);
-        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
 
         final Future<FlutterCommandResult> result = fakeCommandRunner.runCommand(
           force: true,
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       testUsingContext('does not throw tool exit with uncommitted changes and force', () async {
-        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
         fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: null);
         fakeCommandRunner.willHaveUncommittedChanges = true;
 
@@ -511,8 +511,8 @@ void main() {
         Platform: () => fakePlatform,
       });
 
-      testUsingContext("Doesn't throw on known tag, dev branch, no force", () async {
-        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'dev');
+      testUsingContext("Doesn't throw on known tag, beta branch, no force", () async {
+        final FakeFlutterVersion flutterVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(channel: 'beta');
         fakeCommandRunner.remoteVersion = FakeFlutterVersion(frameworkRevision: null);
 
         final Future<FlutterCommandResult> result = fakeCommandRunner.runCommand(
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/channel_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/channel_test.dart
index 33d05521e4f..c0757910617 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/channel_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/channel_test.dart
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ void main() {
           command: <String>['git', 'branch', '-r'],
           stdout: 'origin/beta\n'
               'origin/master\n'
-              'origin/dev\n'
               'origin/stable\n',
         ),
       );
@@ -89,7 +88,6 @@ void main() {
           stdout: 'origin/beta\n'
               'origin/master\n'
               'origin/dependabot/bundler\n'
-              'origin/dev\n'
               'origin/v1.4.5-hotfixes\n'
               'origin/stable\n',
         ),
@@ -142,10 +140,8 @@ void main() {
       fakeProcessManager.addCommand(
         const FakeCommand(
           command: <String>['git', 'branch', '-r'],
-          stdout: 'origin/dev\n'
-              'origin/beta\n'
+          stdout: 'origin/beta\n'
               'origin/stable\n'
-              'upstream/dev\n'
               'upstream/beta\n'
               'upstream/stable\n',
         ),
@@ -165,7 +161,7 @@ void main() {
         .where((String line) => line?.isNotEmpty == true)
         .skip(1); // remove `Flutter channels:` line
 
-      expect(rows, <String>['dev', 'beta', 'stable', 'Currently not on an official channel.']);
+      expect(rows, <String>['beta', 'stable', 'Currently not on an official channel.']);
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       ProcessManager: () => fakeProcessManager,
       FileSystem: () => MemoryFileSystem.test(),
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/config_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/config_test.dart
index 1e0ac6a978f..006f0b083b3 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/config_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/config_test.dart
@@ -63,6 +63,29 @@ void main() {
     expect(config.keys, isNot(contains('foo')));
   });
 
+  testWithoutContext('Config does not error on a file with a deprecated field', () {
+    final BufferLogger bufferLogger = BufferLogger.test();
+    final File file = memoryFileSystem.file('.flutter_example')
+      ..writeAsStringSync('''
+{
+  "is-bot": false,
+  "license-hash": "3e8c85e63b26ce223cda96a9a8fbb410",
+  "redisplay-welcome-message": true,
+  "last-devtools-activation-time": "2021-10-04 16:03:19.832823",
+  "last-active-stable-version": "b22742018b3edf16c6cadd7b76d9db5e7f9064b5"
+}
+''');
+    config = Config(
+      'example',
+      fileSystem: memoryFileSystem,
+      logger: bufferLogger,
+      platform: fakePlatform,
+    );
+
+    expect(file.existsSync(), isTrue);
+    expect(bufferLogger.errorText, isEmpty);
+  });
+
   testWithoutContext('Config parse error', () {
     final BufferLogger bufferLogger = BufferLogger.test();
     final File file = memoryFileSystem.file('.flutter_example')
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/persistent_tool_state_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/persistent_tool_state_test.dart
index 7f55b6311aa..924b49e18cf 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/persistent_tool_state_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/persistent_tool_state_test.dart
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ void main() {
     );
 
     state1.updateLastActiveVersion('abc', Channel.master);
-    state1.updateLastActiveVersion('def', Channel.dev);
     state1.updateLastActiveVersion('ghi', Channel.beta);
     state1.updateLastActiveVersion('jkl', Channel.stable);
 
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ void main() {
     );
 
     expect(state2.lastActiveVersion(Channel.master), 'abc');
-    expect(state2.lastActiveVersion(Channel.dev), 'def');
     expect(state2.lastActiveVersion(Channel.beta), 'ghi');
     expect(state2.lastActiveVersion(Channel.stable), 'jkl');
   });
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/integration.shard/downgrade_upgrade_integration_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/integration.shard/downgrade_upgrade_integration_test.dart
index 0e0f91b39fa..07497676fdc 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/integration.shard/downgrade_upgrade_integration_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/integration.shard/downgrade_upgrade_integration_test.dart
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import '../src/common.dart';
 import 'test_utils.dart';
 
 const String _kInitialVersion = 'v1.9.1';
-const String _kBranch = 'dev';
+const String _kBranch = 'beta';
 
 final Stdio stdio = Stdio();
 final ProcessUtils processUtils = ProcessUtils(processManager: processManager, logger: StdoutLogger(