diff --git a/lib/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer.rb b/lib/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4655eefd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Mongoid
+  # A singleton class to assist with preparing attributes for atomic
+  # updates.
+  #
+  # Once the deprecated Hash#__consolidate__ method is removed entirely,
+  # these methods may be moved into Mongoid::Contextual::Mongo as private
+  # methods.
+  #
+  # @api private
+  class AtomicUpdatePreparer
+    class << self
+      # Convert the key/values in the attributes into a hash of atomic updates.
+      # Non-operator keys are assumed to use $set operation.
+      #
+      # @param [ Class ] klass The model class.
+      # @param [ Hash ] attributes The attributes to convert.
+      #
+      # @return [ Hash ] The prepared atomic updates.
+      def prepare(attributes, klass)
+        attributes.each_pair.with_object({}) do |(key, value), atomic_updates|
+          key = klass.database_field_name(key.to_s)
+
+          if key.to_s.start_with?('$')
+            (atomic_updates[key] ||= {}).update(prepare_operation(klass, key, value))
+          else
+            (atomic_updates['$set'] ||= {})[key] = mongoize_for(key, klass, key, value)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      # Treats the key as if it were a MongoDB operator and prepares
+      # the value accordingly.
+      #
+      # @param [ Class ] klass the model class
+      # @param [ String | Symbol ] key the operator
+      # @param [ Hash ] value the operand
+      #
+      # @return [ Hash ] the prepared value.
+      def prepare_operation(klass, key, value)
+        value.each_with_object({}) do |(key2, value2), hash|
+          key2 = klass.database_field_name(key2)
+          hash[key2] = value_for(key, klass, value2)
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Get the value for the provided operator, klass, key and value.
+      #
+      # This is necessary for special cases like $rename, $addToSet and $push.
+      #
+      # @param [ String ] operator The operator.
+      # @param [ Class ] klass The model class.
+      # @param [ Object ] value The original value.
+      #
+      # @return [ Object ] Value prepared for the provided operator.
+      def value_for(operator, klass, value)
+        case operator
+        when '$rename' then value.to_s
+        when '$addToSet', '$push' then value.mongoize
+        else mongoize_for(operator, klass, operator, value)
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Mongoize for the klass, key and value.
+      #
+      # @param [ String ] operator The operator.
+      # @param [ Class ] klass The model class.
+      # @param [ String | Symbol ] key The field key.
+      # @param [ Object ] value The value to mongoize.
+      #
+      # @return [ Object ] The mongoized value.
+      def mongoize_for(operator, klass, key, value)
+        field = klass.fields[key.to_s]
+        return value unless field
+
+        mongoized = field.mongoize(value)
+        if Mongoid::Persistable::LIST_OPERATIONS.include?(operator) && field.resizable? && !value.is_a?(Array)
+          return mongoized.first
+        end
+
+        mongoized
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/mongoid/contextual/mongo.rb b/lib/mongoid/contextual/mongo.rb
index 916d8a2a72..3fceba9dfc 100644
--- a/lib/mongoid/contextual/mongo.rb
+++ b/lib/mongoid/contextual/mongo.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 # rubocop:todo all
 
+require 'mongoid/atomic_update_preparer'
 require "mongoid/contextual/mongo/documents_loader"
 require "mongoid/contextual/atomic"
 require "mongoid/contextual/aggregable/mongo"
@@ -817,8 +818,8 @@ def load_async
       # @return [ true | false ] If the update succeeded.
       def update_documents(attributes, method = :update_one, opts = {})
         return false unless attributes
-        attributes = Hash[attributes.map { |k, v| [klass.database_field_name(k.to_s), v] }]
-        view.send(method, attributes.__consolidate__(klass), opts)
+
+        view.send(method, AtomicUpdatePreparer.prepare(attributes, klass), opts)
       end
 
       # Apply the field limitations.
diff --git a/lib/mongoid/extensions/hash.rb b/lib/mongoid/extensions/hash.rb
index f1d1a27e22..1cf19d539d 100644
--- a/lib/mongoid/extensions/hash.rb
+++ b/lib/mongoid/extensions/hash.rb
@@ -32,31 +32,20 @@ def __mongoize_object_id__
       end
 
       # Consolidate the key/values in the hash under an atomic $set.
+      # DEPRECATED. This was never intended to be a public API and
+      # the functionality will no longer be exposed once this method
+      # is eventually removed.
       #
       # @example Consolidate the hash.
       #   { name: "Placebo" }.__consolidate__
       #
       # @return [ Hash ] A new consolidated hash.
+      #
+      # @deprecated
       def __consolidate__(klass)
-        consolidated = {}
-        each_pair do |key, value|
-          if key =~ /\$/
-            value.keys.each do |key2|
-              value2 = value[key2]
-              real_key = klass.database_field_name(key2)
-
-              value.delete(key2) if real_key != key2
-              value[real_key] = value_for(key, klass, real_key, value2)
-            end
-            consolidated[key] ||= {}
-            consolidated[key].update(value)
-          else
-            consolidated["$set"] ||= {}
-            consolidated["$set"].update(key => mongoize_for(key, klass, key, value))
-          end
-        end
-        consolidated
+        Mongoid::AtomicUpdatePreparer.prepare(self, klass)
       end
+      Mongoid.deprecate(self, :__consolidate__)
 
       # Checks whether conditions given in this hash are known to be
       # unsatisfiable, i.e., querying with this hash will always return no
@@ -166,50 +155,6 @@ def to_criteria
 
       private
 
-      # Get the value for the provided operator, klass, key and value.
-      #
-      # This is necessary for special cases like $rename, $addToSet and $push.
-      #
-      # @param [ String ] operator The operator.
-      # @param [ Class ] klass The model class.
-      # @param [ String | Symbol ] key The field key.
-      # @param [ Object ] value The original value.
-      #
-      # @return [ Object ] Value prepared for the provided operator.
-      def value_for(operator, klass, key, value)
-        case operator
-        when "$rename" then value.to_s
-        when "$addToSet", "$push" then value.mongoize
-        else mongoize_for(operator, klass, operator, value)
-        end
-      end
-
-      # Mongoize for the klass, key and value.
-      #
-      # @api private
-      #
-      # @example Mongoize for the klass, field and value.
-      #   {}.mongoize_for("$push", Band, "name", "test")
-      #
-      # @param [ String ] operator The operator.
-      # @param [ Class ] klass The model class.
-      # @param [ String | Symbol ] key The field key.
-      # @param [ Object ] value The value to mongoize.
-      #
-      # @return [ Object ] The mongoized value.
-      def mongoize_for(operator, klass, key, value)
-        field = klass.fields[key.to_s]
-        if field
-          val = field.mongoize(value)
-          if Mongoid::Persistable::LIST_OPERATIONS.include?(operator) && field.resizable?
-            val = val.first if !value.is_a?(Array)
-          end
-          val
-        else
-          value
-        end
-      end
-
       module ClassMethods
 
         # Turn the object from the ruby type we deal with to a Mongo friendly
diff --git a/spec/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer_spec.rb b/spec/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c39ac3aa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/mongoid/atomic_update_preparer_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Mongoid::AtomicUpdatePreparer do
+  describe '#prepare' do
+    let(:prepared) { described_class.prepare(hash, Band) }
+
+    context 'when the hash already contains $set' do
+      context 'when the $set is first' do
+        let(:hash) do
+          { '$set' => { name: 'Tool' }, likes: 10, '$inc' => { plays: 1 } }
+        end
+
+        it 'moves the non hash values under the provided key' do
+          expect(prepared).to eq(
+            '$set' => { 'name' => 'Tool', 'likes' => 10 },
+            '$inc' => { 'plays' => 1 }
+          )
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'when the $set is not first' do
+        let(:hash) do
+          { likes: 10, '$inc' => { plays: 1 }, '$set' => { name: 'Tool' } }
+        end
+
+        it 'moves the non hash values under the provided key' do
+          expect(prepared).to eq(
+            '$set' => { 'likes' => 10, 'name' => 'Tool' },
+            '$inc' => { 'plays' => 1 }
+          )
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the hash does not contain $set' do
+      let(:hash) do
+        { likes: 10, '$inc' => { plays: 1 }, name: 'Tool' }
+      end
+
+      it 'moves the non hash values under the provided key' do
+        expect(prepared).to eq(
+          '$set' => { 'likes' => 10, 'name' => 'Tool' },
+          '$inc' => { 'plays' => 1 }
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the hash contains $rename' do
+      let(:hash) { { likes: 10, '$rename' => { old: 'new' } } }
+
+      it 'preserves the $rename operator' do
+        expect(prepared).to eq(
+          '$set' => { 'likes' => 10 },
+          '$rename' => { 'old' => 'new' }
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the hash contains $addToSet' do
+      let(:hash) { { likes: 10, '$addToSet' => { list: 'new' } } }
+
+      it 'preserves the $addToSet operator' do
+        expect(prepared).to eq(
+          '$set' => { 'likes' => 10 },
+          '$addToSet' => { 'list' => 'new' }
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the hash contains $push' do
+      let(:hash) { { likes: 10, '$push' => { list: 14 } } }
+
+      it 'preserves the $push operator' do
+        expect(prepared).to eq(
+          '$set' => { 'likes' => 10 },
+          '$push' => { 'list' => 14 }
+        )
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/mongoid/extensions/hash_spec.rb b/spec/mongoid/extensions/hash_spec.rb
index cc4135a742..bcc1a58d6f 100644
--- a/spec/mongoid/extensions/hash_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mongoid/extensions/hash_spec.rb
@@ -163,63 +163,6 @@
     end
   end
 
-  describe "#__consolidate__" do
-
-    context "when the hash already contains the key" do
-
-      context "when the $set is first" do
-
-        let(:hash) do
-          { "$set" => { name: "Tool" }, likes: 10, "$inc" => { plays: 1 }}
-        end
-
-        let(:consolidated) do
-          hash.__consolidate__(Band)
-        end
-
-        it "moves the non hash values under the provided key" do
-          expect(consolidated).to eq({
-            "$set" => { 'name' => "Tool", likes: 10 }, "$inc" => { 'plays' => 1 }
-          })
-        end
-      end
-
-      context "when the $set is not first" do
-
-        let(:hash) do
-          { likes: 10, "$inc" => { plays: 1 }, "$set" => { name: "Tool" }}
-        end
-
-        let(:consolidated) do
-          hash.__consolidate__(Band)
-        end
-
-        it "moves the non hash values under the provided key" do
-          expect(consolidated).to eq({
-            "$set" => { likes: 10, 'name' => "Tool" }, "$inc" => { 'plays' => 1 }
-          })
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
-    context "when the hash does not contain the key" do
-
-      let(:hash) do
-        { likes: 10, "$inc" => { plays: 1 }, name: "Tool"}
-      end
-
-      let(:consolidated) do
-        hash.__consolidate__(Band)
-      end
-
-      it "moves the non hash values under the provided key" do
-        expect(consolidated).to eq({
-          "$set" => { likes: 10, name: "Tool" }, "$inc" => { 'plays' => 1 }
-        })
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
   describe ".demongoize" do
 
     let(:hash) do