diff --git a/app/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic.rb b/app/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic.rb
index a0aeadb7862..2849e8d817f 100644
--- a/app/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic.rb
@@ -103,10 +103,15 @@ class Mutations::UpdateDiscussionTopic < Mutations::DiscussionBase
       if discussion_topic.assignment && input[:checkpoints]&.count == DiscussionTopic::REQUIRED_CHECKPOINT_COUNT
         return validation_error(I18n.t("If checkpoints are defined, forCheckpoints: true must be provided to the discussion topic assignment.")) unless input.dig(:assignment, :for_checkpoints)
 
+        checkpoint_service = if discussion_topic.assignment.has_sub_assignments
+                               Checkpoints::DiscussionCheckpointUpdaterService
+                             else
+                               Checkpoints::DiscussionCheckpointCreatorService
+                             end
+
         input[:checkpoints].each do |checkpoint|
           dates = checkpoint[:dates]
-
-          Checkpoints::DiscussionCheckpointUpdaterService.call(
+          checkpoint_service.call(
             discussion_topic:,
             checkpoint_label: checkpoint[:checkpoint_label],
             points_possible: checkpoint[:points_possible],
diff --git a/spec/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic_spec.rb b/spec/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic_spec.rb
index cc06510103e..1b21b01f965 100644
--- a/spec/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/graphql/mutations/update_discussion_topic_spec.rb
@@ -638,5 +638,39 @@ RSpec.describe Mutations::UpdateDiscussionTopic do
 
       expect(active_checkpoints.count).to eq(0)
     end
+
+    it "can edit a non-checkpointed discussion to a checkpointed discussion" do
+      @discussion_assignment = @course.assignments.create!(
+        title: "Graded Topic 1",
+        submission_types: "discussion_topic",
+        post_to_sis: false,
+        grading_type: "points",
+        points_possible: 5,
+        due_at: 3.months.from_now,
+        peer_reviews: false
+      )
+
+      @non_checkpoint_topic = @discussion_assignment.discussion_topic
+
+      run_mutation(id: @non_checkpoint_topic.id, assignment: { forCheckpoints: true }, checkpoints: [
+                     { checkpointLabel: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_TOPIC, dates: [{ type: "everyone", dueAt: @due_at1.iso8601 }], pointsPossible: 6 },
+                     { checkpointLabel: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_ENTRY, dates: [{ type: "everyone", dueAt: @due_at2.iso8601 }], pointsPossible: 8, repliesRequired: 5 }
+                   ])
+
+      assignment = Assignment.last
+
+      expect(assignment.has_sub_assignments?).to be true
+      expect(DiscussionTopic.last.reply_to_entry_required_count).to eq 5
+
+      sub_assignments = SubAssignment.where(parent_assignment_id: assignment.id)
+      sub_assignment1 = sub_assignments.find_by(sub_assignment_tag: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_TOPIC)
+      sub_assignment2 = sub_assignments.find_by(sub_assignment_tag: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_ENTRY)
+
+      expect(sub_assignment1.sub_assignment_tag).to eq "reply_to_topic"
+      expect(sub_assignment1.points_possible).to eq 6
+      expect(sub_assignment2.sub_assignment_tag).to eq "reply_to_entry"
+      expect(sub_assignment2.points_possible).to eq 8
+      expect(assignment.points_possible).to eq 14
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/selenium/discussions/discussions_edit_page_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/discussions/discussions_edit_page_spec.rb
index cf2a6c81fed..f6f19dcc0be 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/discussions/discussions_edit_page_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/discussions/discussions_edit_page_spec.rb
@@ -1096,6 +1096,35 @@ describe "discussions" do
             expect(assignment.sub_assignments.count).to eq 0
             expect(Assignment.last.has_sub_assignments).to be(false)
           end
+
+          it "can edit a non-checkpointed discussion into a checkpointed discussion" do
+            graded_discussion = create_graded_discussion(course)
+
+            get "/courses/#{course.id}/discussion_topics/#{graded_discussion.id}/edit"
+
+            force_click_native('input[type=checkbox][value="checkpoints"]')
+
+            f("input[data-testid='points-possible-input-reply-to-topic']").send_keys :backspace
+            f("input[data-testid='points-possible-input-reply-to-topic']").send_keys "5"
+            f("input[data-testid='reply-to-entry-required-count']").send_keys :backspace
+            f("input[data-testid='reply-to-entry-required-count']").send_keys "6"
+            f("input[data-testid='points-possible-input-reply-to-entry']").send_keys :backspace
+            f("input[data-testid='points-possible-input-reply-to-entry']").send_keys "7"
+
+            fj("button:contains('Save')").click
+
+            assignment = Assignment.last
+
+            expect(assignment.has_sub_assignments?).to be true
+            expect(DiscussionTopic.last.reply_to_entry_required_count).to eq 6
+
+            sub_assignments = SubAssignment.where(parent_assignment_id: assignment.id)
+            sub_assignment1 = sub_assignments.find_by(sub_assignment_tag: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_TOPIC)
+            sub_assignment2 = sub_assignments.find_by(sub_assignment_tag: CheckpointLabels::REPLY_TO_ENTRY)
+
+            expect(sub_assignment1.points_possible).to eq 5
+            expect(sub_assignment2.points_possible).to eq 7
+          end
         end
       end
     end