diff --git a/internal/deprecated/workflow/pre_test.go b/internal/deprecated/workflow/pre_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f2f7814a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/deprecated/workflow/pre_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+package workflow
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp/cmpopts"
+	rufio "github.com/tinkerbell/rufio/api/v1alpha1"
+	"github.com/tinkerbell/tink/api/v1alpha1"
+	"github.com/tinkerbell/tink/internal/deprecated/workflow/journal"
+	"github.com/tinkerbell/tink/internal/ptr"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client/fake"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/reconcile"
+)
+
+func TestPrepareWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := map[string]struct {
+		wantResult   reconcile.Result
+		wantError    bool
+		hardware     *v1alpha1.Hardware
+		wantHardware *v1alpha1.Hardware
+		workflow     *v1alpha1.Workflow
+		wantWorkflow *v1alpha1.Workflow
+		job          *rufio.Job
+	}{
+		"nothing to do": {
+			wantResult:   reconcile.Result{},
+			hardware:     &v1alpha1.Hardware{},
+			wantHardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{},
+			workflow:     &v1alpha1.Workflow{},
+			wantWorkflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{},
+		},
+		"toggle allowPXE": {
+			wantResult: reconcile.Result{},
+			hardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					Interfaces: []v1alpha1.Interface{
+						{
+							Netboot: &v1alpha1.Netboot{
+								AllowPXE: ptr.Bool(false),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantHardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					Interfaces: []v1alpha1.Interface{
+						{
+							Netboot: &v1alpha1.Netboot{
+								AllowPXE: ptr.Bool(true),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			workflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-workflow",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.WorkflowSpec{
+					HardwareRef: "test-hardware",
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptions{
+						ToggleAllowNetboot: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantWorkflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				Status: v1alpha1.WorkflowStatus{
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptionsStatus{
+						AllowNetboot: v1alpha1.AllowNetbootStatus{
+							ToggledTrue: true,
+						},
+					},
+					Conditions: []v1alpha1.WorkflowCondition{
+						{
+							Type:    v1alpha1.ToggleAllowNetbootTrue,
+							Status:  metav1.ConditionTrue,
+							Reason:  "Complete",
+							Message: "set allowPXE to true",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		"boot mode netboot": {
+			wantResult: reconcile.Result{Requeue: true},
+			hardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					BMCRef: &v1.TypedLocalObjectReference{
+						Name: "test-bmc",
+						Kind: "machine.bmc.tinkerbell.org",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantHardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					BMCRef: &v1.TypedLocalObjectReference{
+						Name: "test-bmc",
+						Kind: "machine.bmc.tinkerbell.org",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			workflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-workflow",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.WorkflowSpec{
+					HardwareRef: "test-hardware",
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptions{
+						BootMode: "netboot",
+					},
+				},
+				Status: v1alpha1.WorkflowStatus{
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptionsStatus{
+						Jobs: map[string]v1alpha1.JobStatus{},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantWorkflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				Status: v1alpha1.WorkflowStatus{
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptionsStatus{
+						Jobs: map[string]v1alpha1.JobStatus{
+							fmt.Sprintf("%s-test-workflow", jobNameNetboot): {ExistingJobDeleted: true},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		"boot mode iso": {
+			wantResult: reconcile.Result{Requeue: true},
+			hardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					BMCRef: &v1.TypedLocalObjectReference{
+						Name: "test-bmc",
+						Kind: "machine.bmc.tinkerbell.org",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantHardware: &v1alpha1.Hardware{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-hardware",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.HardwareSpec{
+					BMCRef: &v1.TypedLocalObjectReference{
+						Name: "test-bmc",
+						Kind: "machine.bmc.tinkerbell.org",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			workflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-workflow",
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.WorkflowSpec{
+					HardwareRef: "test-hardware",
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptions{
+						BootMode: "iso",
+						ISOURL:   "http://example.com",
+					},
+				},
+				Status: v1alpha1.WorkflowStatus{
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptionsStatus{
+						Jobs: map[string]v1alpha1.JobStatus{},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantWorkflow: &v1alpha1.Workflow{
+				Status: v1alpha1.WorkflowStatus{
+					BootOptions: v1alpha1.BootOptionsStatus{
+						Jobs: map[string]v1alpha1.JobStatus{
+							fmt.Sprintf("%s-test-workflow", jobNameISOMount): {ExistingJobDeleted: true},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
+			rufio.AddToScheme(scheme)
+			v1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme)
+			ro := []runtime.Object{}
+			if tc.hardware != nil {
+				ro = append(ro, tc.hardware)
+			}
+			if tc.workflow != nil {
+				ro = append(ro, tc.workflow)
+			}
+			clientBuilder := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(scheme).WithRuntimeObjects(ro...)
+			if tc.job != nil {
+				clientBuilder.WithRuntimeObjects(tc.job)
+			}
+			s := &state{
+				workflow: tc.workflow,
+				client:   clientBuilder.Build(),
+			}
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			ctx = journal.New(ctx)
+			result, err := s.prepareWorkflow(ctx)
+			if (err != nil) != tc.wantError {
+				t.Errorf("expected error: %v, got: %v", tc.wantError, err)
+			}
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(result, tc.wantResult); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("unexpected result (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
+				t.Logf("journal: %v", journal.Journal(ctx))
+			}
+
+			// get the Hardware object in cluster
+			gotHardware := &v1alpha1.Hardware{}
+			if err := s.client.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: tc.hardware.Name, Namespace: tc.hardware.Namespace}, gotHardware); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("error getting hardware: %v", err)
+			}
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(gotHardware.Spec, tc.wantHardware.Spec); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("unexpected hardware (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
+				for _, entry := range journal.Journal(ctx) {
+					t.Logf("journal: %+v", entry)
+				}
+			}
+
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.workflow.Status, tc.wantWorkflow.Status, cmpopts.IgnoreFields(v1alpha1.WorkflowCondition{}, "Time")); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("unexpected workflow status (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
+				for _, entry := range journal.Journal(ctx) {
+					t.Logf("journal: %+v", entry)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}