diff --git a/corporate/migrations/0023_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py b/corporate/migrations/0023_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e77be32e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/corporate/migrations/0023_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.7 on 2023-11-26 16:00
+
+import django.db.models.deletion
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("corporate", "0022_session_is_manual_license_management_upgrade_session"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="zulipsponsorshiprequest",
+            name="customer",
+            field=models.ForeignKey(
+                null=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, to="corporate.customer"
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/corporate/migrations/0024_zulipsponsorshiprequest_fill_customer_data.py b/corporate/migrations/0024_zulipsponsorshiprequest_fill_customer_data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9979bda63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/corporate/migrations/0024_zulipsponsorshiprequest_fill_customer_data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("corporate", "0023_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            """
+            UPDATE corporate_zulipsponsorshiprequest
+            SET customer_id = (
+                SELECT id FROM corporate_customer WHERE corporate_customer.realm_id = corporate_zulipsponsorshiprequest.realm_id
+            )
+        """
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/corporate/migrations/0025_alter_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py b/corporate/migrations/0025_alter_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..403260cca8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/corporate/migrations/0025_alter_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.7 on 2023-11-26 16:13
+
+import django.db.models.deletion
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("corporate", "0024_zulipsponsorshiprequest_fill_customer_data"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="zulipsponsorshiprequest",
+            name="customer",
+            field=models.ForeignKey(
+                on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, to="corporate.customer"
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/corporate/migrations/0026_remove_zulipsponsorshiprequest_realm.py b/corporate/migrations/0026_remove_zulipsponsorshiprequest_realm.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6572fc145c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/corporate/migrations/0026_remove_zulipsponsorshiprequest_realm.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.7 on 2023-11-26 16:14
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("corporate", "0025_alter_zulipsponsorshiprequest_customer"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveField(
+            model_name="zulipsponsorshiprequest",
+            name="realm",
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/corporate/models.py b/corporate/models.py
index 113a1649a2..1b582f5b42 100644
--- a/corporate/models.py
+++ b/corporate/models.py
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ class LicenseLedger(models.Model):
 
 
 class ZulipSponsorshipRequest(models.Model):
-    realm = models.ForeignKey(Realm, on_delete=CASCADE)
+    customer = models.ForeignKey(Customer, on_delete=CASCADE)
     requested_by = models.ForeignKey(UserProfile, on_delete=CASCADE)
 
     org_type = models.PositiveSmallIntegerField(
diff --git a/corporate/tests/test_stripe.py b/corporate/tests/test_stripe.py
index f6ae872a3d..8a36bf7d3c 100644
--- a/corporate/tests/test_stripe.py
+++ b/corporate/tests/test_stripe.py
@@ -1804,8 +1804,10 @@ class StripeTest(StripeTestCase):
         response = self.client_post("/json/billing/sponsorship", data)
         self.assert_json_success(response)
 
+        customer = get_customer_by_realm(user.realm)
+        assert customer is not None
         sponsorship_request = ZulipSponsorshipRequest.objects.filter(
-            realm=user.realm, requested_by=user
+            customer=customer, requested_by=user
         ).first()
         assert sponsorship_request is not None
         self.assertEqual(sponsorship_request.org_website, data["website"])
diff --git a/corporate/views/upgrade.py b/corporate/views/upgrade.py
index bf371647e0..3ea9cdb473 100644
--- a/corporate/views/upgrade.py
+++ b/corporate/views/upgrade.py
@@ -167,8 +167,10 @@ def sponsorship(
 
     if form.is_valid():
         with transaction.atomic():
+            # Ensures customer is created first before updating sponsorship status.
+            billing_session.update_customer_sponsorship_status(True)
             sponsorship_request = ZulipSponsorshipRequest(
-                realm=realm,
+                customer=billing_session.get_customer(),
                 requested_by=user,
                 org_website=form.cleaned_data["website"],
                 org_description=form.cleaned_data["description"],
@@ -184,7 +186,6 @@ def sponsorship(
                 realm.org_type = org_type
                 realm.save(update_fields=["org_type"])
 
-            billing_session.update_customer_sponsorship_status(True)
             do_change_is_billing_admin(user, True)
 
             org_type_display_name = get_org_type_display_name(org_type)