diff --git a/src/Phinx/Db/Adapter/SqlServerAdapter.php b/src/Phinx/Db/Adapter/SqlServerAdapter.php
index 760568fff..42b10d9d3 100644
--- a/src/Phinx/Db/Adapter/SqlServerAdapter.php
+++ b/src/Phinx/Db/Adapter/SqlServerAdapter.php
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ public function getColumns($tableName)
         $rows = $this->fetchAll($sql);
         foreach ($rows as $columnInfo) {
             try {
-                $type = $this->getPhinxType($columnInfo['type']);
+                $type = $this->getPhinxType($columnInfo['type'], $columnInfo['char_length']);
             } catch (UnsupportedColumnTypeException $e) {
                 $type = Literal::from($columnInfo['type']);
             }
@@ -471,7 +471,8 @@ public function getColumns($tableName)
                    ->setIdentity($columnInfo['identity'] === '1')
                    ->setComment($this->getColumnComment($columnInfo['table_name'], $columnInfo['name']));
 
-            if (!empty($columnInfo['char_length'])) {
+            if ($type !== self::PHINX_TYPE_TEXT && !empty($columnInfo['char_length'])) {
+                // Do not set a limit for text, as that is handled elsewhere.
                 $column->setLimit($columnInfo['char_length']);
             }
 
@@ -609,9 +610,6 @@ protected function getChangeDefault($tableName, Column $newColumn)
     protected function getChangeColumnInstructions($tableName, $columnName, Column $newColumn)
     {
         $columns = $this->getColumns($tableName);
-        $changeDefault =
-            $newColumn->getDefault() !== $columns[$columnName]->getDefault() ||
-            $newColumn->getType() !== $columns[$columnName]->getType();
 
         $instructions = new AlterInstructions();
 
@@ -621,9 +619,7 @@ protected function getChangeColumnInstructions($tableName, $columnName, Column $
             );
         }
 
-        if ($changeDefault) {
-            $instructions->merge($this->getDropDefaultConstraint($tableName, $newColumn->getName()));
-        }
+        $instructions->merge($this->getDropDefaultConstraint($tableName, $newColumn->getName()));
 
         $instructions->addPostStep(sprintf(
             'ALTER TABLE %s ALTER COLUMN %s %s',
@@ -636,9 +632,7 @@ protected function getChangeColumnInstructions($tableName, $columnName, Column $
             $instructions->addPostStep($this->getColumnCommentSqlDefinition($newColumn, $tableName));
         }
 
-        if ($changeDefault) {
-            $instructions->merge($this->getChangeDefault($tableName, $newColumn));
-        }
+        $instructions->merge($this->getChangeDefault($tableName, $newColumn));
 
         return $instructions;
     }
@@ -1069,7 +1063,7 @@ public function getSqlType($type, $limit = null)
             case static::PHINX_TYPE_CHAR:
                 return ['name' => 'nchar', 'limit' => 255];
             case static::PHINX_TYPE_TEXT:
-                return ['name' => 'ntext'];
+                return ['name' => 'nvarchar', 'limit' => 'max'];
             case static::PHINX_TYPE_INTEGER:
                 return ['name' => 'int'];
             case static::PHINX_TYPE_TINY_INTEGER:
@@ -1109,16 +1103,22 @@ public function getSqlType($type, $limit = null)
      * @internal param string $sqlType SQL type
      *
      * @param string $sqlType SQL Type definition
+     * @param int|null $charLength Column length value
      *
      * @throws \Phinx\Db\Adapter\UnsupportedColumnTypeException
      *
      * @return string Phinx type
      */
-    public function getPhinxType($sqlType)
+    public function getPhinxType($sqlType, $charLength = null)
     {
         switch ($sqlType) {
             case 'nvarchar':
             case 'varchar':
+                if ($charLength == -1) {
+                    // max char length
+                    return static::PHINX_TYPE_TEXT;
+                }
+                
                 return static::PHINX_TYPE_STRING;
             case 'char':
             case 'nchar':