diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/issue_27168_2.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/issue_27168_2.yml
index c91a95323d520cc3bea9d3d659353b99e1871011..c67692493e0c4c5486c2d2b3c5ba7b1ea570b779 100644
--- a/changelogs/unreleased/issue_27168_2.yml
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/issue_27168_2.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 ---
-title: Preloads head pipeline for each merge request
+title: Preloads head pipeline for merge request collection
 merge_request:
 author:
diff --git a/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb b/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
index 4b7d6cd840b14469997e821d9eb41c81c23e914d..8bd2065ac34a95634b8604bfe02002fca0c71efb 100644
--- a/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
+++ b/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
@@ -544,6 +544,7 @@ class Spinach::Features::ProjectMergeRequests < Spinach::FeatureSteps
     project = merge_request.source_project
     project.enable_ci
     pipeline = create :ci_pipeline, project: project, sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha, ref: merge_request.source_branch
+    merge_request.update(head_pipeline: pipeline)
     create :ci_build, pipeline: pipeline
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
index 0483c6b7879542447d7e177ecfa5346d27df8c5c..bc13a8123a599ef72e8e190562b54a396c2f1b8f 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
@@ -354,7 +354,8 @@ describe Projects::MergeRequestsController do
         end
 
         before do
-          create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha, ref: merge_request.source_branch)
+          pipeline = create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha, ref: merge_request.source_branch)
+          merge_request.update(head_pipeline: pipeline)
         end
 
         it 'returns :merge_when_pipeline_succeeds' do
diff --git a/spec/features/cycle_analytics_spec.rb b/spec/features/cycle_analytics_spec.rb
index df2714f91ff2063c5565dfddb282319677fce8b6..57826fe872b0b3db79366e3c5ed9247fe45fdfe9 100644
--- a/spec/features/cycle_analytics_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/cycle_analytics_spec.rb
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@ feature 'Cycle Analytics', feature: true, js: true do
   let(:mr) { create_merge_request_closing_issue(issue, commit_message: "References #{issue.to_reference}") }
   let(:pipeline) { create(:ci_empty_pipeline, status: 'created', project: project, ref: mr.source_branch, sha: mr.source_branch_sha) }
 
+  before { mr.update(head_pipeline: pipeline) }
+
   context 'as an allowed user' do
     context 'when project is new' do
       before  do
-        project.team << [user, :master]
+        project.add_master(user)
+        mr.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
         login_as(user)
         visit namespace_project_cycle_analytics_path(project.namespace, project)
         wait_for_ajax
diff --git a/spec/features/issuables/issuable_list_spec.rb b/spec/features/issuables/issuable_list_spec.rb
index f3ec80bb149298da761d77cd216d40e9bfc9b4ec..414838fa22e3c7de30cb434a4187f9b1bb244423 100644
--- a/spec/features/issuables/issuable_list_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/issuables/issuable_list_spec.rb
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ describe 'issuable list', feature: true do
           create(:issue, project: project, author: user)
         else
           create(:merge_request, source_project: project, source_branch: generate(:branch))
+          source_branch = FFaker::Name.name
+          pipeline = create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, ref: source_branch, status: %w(running failed success).sample, sha: 'any')
+          create(:merge_request, title: FFaker::Lorem.sentence, source_project: project, source_branch: source_branch, head_pipeline: pipeline)
         end
 
       2.times do
diff --git a/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_immediately_with_pipeline_spec.rb b/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_immediately_with_pipeline_spec.rb
index 497240803d4427b0e7c65d3cb1fda8345b1f2a24..4f9a69baad857af630571fde04d05b3e4525c39b 100644
--- a/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_immediately_with_pipeline_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_immediately_with_pipeline_spec.rb
@@ -4,16 +4,18 @@ feature 'Merge immediately', :feature, :js do
   let(:user) { create(:user) }
   let(:project) { create(:project, :public) }
 
-  let(:merge_request) do
+  let!(:merge_request) do
     create(:merge_request_with_diffs, source_project: project,
                                       author: user,
-                                      title: 'Bug NS-04')
+                                      title: 'Bug NS-04',
+                                      head_pipeline: pipeline,
+                                      source_branch: pipeline.ref)
   end
 
   let(:pipeline) do
     create(:ci_pipeline, project: project,
-                         sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha,
-                         ref: merge_request.source_branch)
+                         ref: 'master',
+                         sha: project.repository.commit('master').id)
   end
 
   before { project.team << [user, :master] }
diff --git a/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_spec.rb b/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_spec.rb
index cd540ca113a4da818690e2265d14e43762f34490..9367789c7d458dd987e6c7035301f25b3da1e2ff 100644
--- a/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_spec.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ feature 'Merge When Pipeline Succeeds', :feature, :js do
                          ref: merge_request.source_branch)
   end
 
-  before { project.team << [user, :master] }
+  before do
+    project.add_master(user)
+    merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+  end
 
   context 'when there is active pipeline for merge request' do
     background do
diff --git a/spec/features/merge_requests/mini_pipeline_graph_spec.rb b/spec/features/merge_requests/mini_pipeline_graph_spec.rb
index 449a60c1d0596e9301591ed4685905cd40bdf160..5b2798af32f1b30649c50eeaa4bec868d013a9c2 100644
--- a/spec/features/merge_requests/mini_pipeline_graph_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/merge_requests/mini_pipeline_graph_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'rails_helper'
 feature 'Mini Pipeline Graph', :js, :feature do
   let(:user) { create(:user) }
   let(:project) { create(:project, :public) }
-  let(:merge_request) { create(:merge_request, source_project: project) }
+  let(:merge_request) { create(:merge_request, source_project: project, head_pipeline: pipeline) }
 
   let(:pipeline) { create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, ref: 'master', status: 'running', sha: project.commit.id) }
   let(:build) { create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, stage: 'test', commands: 'test') }
diff --git a/spec/features/merge_requests/only_allow_merge_if_build_succeeds_spec.rb b/spec/features/merge_requests/only_allow_merge_if_build_succeeds_spec.rb
index 4a590e3bf689c15e103b9aed020e2791351e7c49..981989b0095677a6232d4894dd790132fd1b0cb1 100644
--- a/spec/features/merge_requests/only_allow_merge_if_build_succeeds_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/merge_requests/only_allow_merge_if_build_succeeds_spec.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ feature 'Only allow merge requests to be merged if the pipeline succeeds', featu
       status: status)
     end
 
+    before { merge_request.update(head_pipeline: pipeline) }
+
     context 'when merge requests can only be merged if the pipeline succeeds' do
       before do
         project.update_attribute(:only_allow_merge_if_pipeline_succeeds, true)
diff --git a/spec/features/merge_requests/widget_spec.rb b/spec/features/merge_requests/widget_spec.rb
index d918181a238ad8f8508f77cd48079062bf953ff7..02193dbfc8d83336cc5fe5fcce09c9578ea96245 100644
--- a/spec/features/merge_requests/widget_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/merge_requests/widget_spec.rb
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ describe 'Merge request', :feature, :js do
                                       statuses: [commit_status])
       create(:ci_build, :pending, pipeline: pipeline)
 
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+
       visit namespace_project_merge_request_path(project.namespace, project, merge_request)
     end
 
@@ -101,10 +103,15 @@ describe 'Merge request', :feature, :js do
 
   context 'when merge request is in the blocked pipeline state' do
     before do
-      create(:ci_pipeline, project: project,
-                           sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha,
-                           ref: merge_request.source_branch,
-                           status: :manual)
+      pipeline = create(
+        :ci_pipeline,
+        project: project,
+        sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha,
+        ref: merge_request.source_branch,
+        status: :manual
+      )
+
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
 
       visit namespace_project_merge_request_path(project.namespace,
                                                  project,
@@ -129,6 +136,8 @@ describe 'Merge request', :feature, :js do
                                       statuses: [commit_status])
       create(:ci_build, :pending, pipeline: pipeline)
 
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+
       visit namespace_project_merge_request_path(project.namespace, project, merge_request)
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/events_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/events_spec.rb
index 0d56bdd0ebd0942b56c5d901b118c128200c8a1d..8753679e23352a08be263983cca3ac518048b3e0 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/events_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/events_spec.rb
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ describe 'cycle analytics events' do
     end
 
     before do
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+
       create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, status: :success, author: user)
       create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, status: :success, author: user)
 
@@ -226,6 +228,8 @@ describe 'cycle analytics events' do
     end
 
     before do
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+
       create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, status: :success, author: user)
       create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, status: :success, author: user)
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/all_models.yml b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/all_models.yml
index 688e731bf156c12d26d239d88eb70e2669acbd0f..63797c0fc0ed6946c2b1345c06de01c48a264da7 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/all_models.yml
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/all_models.yml
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ merge_requests:
 - merge_requests_closing_issues
 - metrics
 - timelogs
+- head_pipeline
 merge_request_diff:
 - merge_request
 pipelines:
diff --git a/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb b/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
index 208c8cb1c3d41a25243609b33af287e8c5943146..86ed37b50aa039a0763380159f7c21b16b819ae5 100644
--- a/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
@@ -1044,8 +1044,8 @@ describe Ci::Pipeline, models: true do
     let(:pipeline) { create(:ci_empty_pipeline, status: 'created', project: project, ref: 'master', sha: 'a288a022a53a5a944fae87bcec6efc87b7061808') }
 
     it "returns merge requests whose `diff_head_sha` matches the pipeline's SHA" do
-      merge_request = create(:merge_request, source_project: project, source_branch: pipeline.ref)
       allow_any_instance_of(MergeRequest).to receive(:diff_head_sha) { 'a288a022a53a5a944fae87bcec6efc87b7061808' }
+      merge_request = create(:merge_request, source_project: project, head_pipeline: pipeline, , source_branch: pipeline.ref)
 
       expect(pipeline.merge_requests).to eq([merge_request])
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/cycle_analytics/test_spec.rb b/spec/models/cycle_analytics/test_spec.rb
index c2ba012a0e67b5fd99b9678912e03a12669dcecb..d0b919efcf93e69134760e5c6f6e6095af5174e3 100644
--- a/spec/models/cycle_analytics/test_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cycle_analytics/test_spec.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ describe 'CycleAnalytics#test', feature: true do
       issue = context.create(:issue, project: context.project)
       merge_request = context.create_merge_request_closing_issue(issue)
       pipeline = context.create(:ci_pipeline, ref: merge_request.source_branch, sha: merge_request.diff_head_sha, project: context.project)
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline: pipeline)
       { pipeline: pipeline, issue: issue }
     end,
     start_time_conditions: [["pipeline is started", -> (context, data) { data[:pipeline].run! }]],
diff --git a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
index 6cf3dd30ead92247c83fa8ab996adfb3f7443fbc..45a5cd049a2d8017c4b1320fe12a840dfcbee9e2 100644
--- a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
@@ -760,13 +760,9 @@ describe MergeRequest, models: true do
   describe '#head_pipeline' do
     describe 'when the source project exists' do
       it 'returns the latest pipeline' do
-        pipeline = double(:ci_pipeline, ref: 'master')
-
-        allow(subject).to receive(:diff_head_sha).and_return('123abc')
-
-        expect(subject.source_project).to receive(:pipeline_for).
-          with('master', '123abc').
-          and_return(pipeline)
+        sha = "123abc"
+        pipeline = create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: subject.source_project, ref: 'master', status: 'running', sha: sha)
+        subject.update(head_pipeline: pipeline)
 
         expect(subject.head_pipeline).to eq(pipeline)
       end
@@ -1504,11 +1500,13 @@ describe MergeRequest, models: true do
 
   describe '#mergeable_with_slash_command?' do
     def create_pipeline(status)
-      create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job,
+      pipeline = create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job,
         project: project,
         ref:     merge_request.source_branch,
         sha:     merge_request.diff_head_sha,
         status:  status)
+
+      merge_request.update(head_pipeline: pipeline)
     end
 
     let(:project)       { create(:project, :public, :repository, only_allow_merge_if_pipeline_succeeds: true) }
@@ -1594,7 +1592,7 @@ describe MergeRequest, models: true do
 
       context 'with running pipeline'  do
         before do
-          create_pipeline(:running)
+          merge_request.update(head_pipeline: create_pipeline(:running))
         end
 
         it 'is mergeable' do
diff --git a/spec/requests/projects/cycle_analytics_events_spec.rb b/spec/requests/projects/cycle_analytics_events_spec.rb
index c5a45949841bb5aad0678d95235de5b05b632e48..d92daa345b3089b82fda7a70db38ba38588454ec 100644
--- a/spec/requests/projects/cycle_analytics_events_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/projects/cycle_analytics_events_spec.rb
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ describe 'cycle analytics events', api: true do
     mr = create_merge_request_closing_issue(issue, commit_message: "References #{issue.to_reference}")
 
     pipeline = create(:ci_empty_pipeline, status: 'created', project: project, ref: mr.source_branch, sha: mr.source_branch_sha)
+    mr.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
     pipeline.run
 
     create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, status: :success, author: user)
diff --git a/spec/services/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_service_spec.rb
index 769b319327532af98552151014281075c2a44eef..b0304b3b73fe7cbeae9e4870ab678c37952687d5 100644
--- a/spec/services/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/merge_requests/merge_when_pipeline_succeeds_service_spec.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ describe MergeRequests::MergeWhenPipelineSucceedsService do
                              sha: merge_request_head, status: 'success')
       end
 
+      before do
+        mr_merge_if_green_enabled.update(head_pipeline: triggering_pipeline)
+      end
+
       it "merges all merge requests with merge when the pipeline succeeds enabled" do
         expect(MergeWorker).to receive(:perform_async)
         service.trigger(triggering_pipeline)
@@ -124,6 +128,8 @@ describe MergeRequests::MergeWhenPipelineSucceedsService do
                              sha: mr_conflict.diff_head_sha, status: 'success')
       end
 
+      before { mr_conflict.update(head_pipeline_id: conflict_pipeline.id) }
+
       it 'does not merge the merge request' do
         expect(MergeWorker).not_to receive(:perform_async)
 
diff --git a/spec/services/merge_requests/update_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/merge_requests/update_service_spec.rb
index 31487c0f794e9271c9ab3ac3991e7084c6858fc2..e5071c2f447cba16c9c1fb03596de5021a28fee9 100644
--- a/spec/services/merge_requests/update_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/merge_requests/update_service_spec.rb
@@ -174,11 +174,13 @@ describe MergeRequests::UpdateService, services: true do
       context 'with active pipeline' do
         before do
           service_mock = double
-          create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job,
+          pipeline = create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job,
             project: project,
             ref:     merge_request.source_branch,
             sha:     merge_request.diff_head_sha)
 
+          merge_request.update(head_pipeline_id: pipeline.id)
+
           expect(MergeRequests::MergeWhenPipelineSucceedsService).to receive(:new).with(project, user).
             and_return(service_mock)
           expect(service_mock).to receive(:execute).with(merge_request)