diff --git a/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_versioning.py b/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_versioning.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c7946c7fbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_versioning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from kobo.apps.kobo_auth.shortcuts import User
+from kobo.apps.subsequences.constants import Action
+from kobo.apps.subsequences.models import QuestionAdvancedAction
+from kobo.apps.subsequences.utils.versioning import convert_qual_params
+from kpi.models import Asset
+
+
+class TestVersioning(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(username='asset_owner')
+
+    def _create_asset(self):
+        return Asset.objects.create(owner=self.owner, content={'survey': []})
+
+    def test_convert_qual_params_create(self):
+        asset = self._create_asset()
+        qualdict = {
+            'qual_survey': [
+                {
+                    'uuid': 'q1',
+                    'xpath': '/a',
+                    'type': 'qual_text',
+                    'labels': {'_default': 'A1'},
+                },
+                {
+                    'uuid': 'q2',
+                    'xpath': '/a',
+                    'type': 'qual_text',
+                    'labels': {'_default': 'A2'},
+                },
+                {
+                    'uuid': 'q3',
+                    'xpath': '/b',
+                    'type': 'qual_integer',
+                    'labels': {'_default': 'B1'},
+                },
+            ]
+        }
+
+        created = convert_qual_params(asset, qualdict)
+
+        # Two different xpaths will create two DB rows
+        self.assertEqual(len(created), 2)
+        db_objs = QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.filter(asset=asset, action=Action.QUAL)
+        self.assertEqual(db_objs.count(), 2)
+
+        qa_a = QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.get(asset=asset, question_xpath='/a')
+        self.assertEqual(len(qa_a.params), 2)
+        self.assertEqual({p['uuid'] for p in qa_a.params}, {'q1', 'q2'})
+
+        qa_b = QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.get(asset=asset, question_xpath='/b')
+        self.assertEqual(len(qa_b.params), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(qa_b.params[0]['uuid'], 'q3')
+
+    def test_convert_qual_params_update(self):
+        asset = self._create_asset()
+        # pre-create an action for xpath '/a'
+        QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.create(
+            asset=asset,
+            action=Action.QUAL,
+            question_xpath='/a',
+            params=[{'uuid': 'old', 'type': 'qual_text'}],
+        )
+
+        qualdict = {
+            'qual_survey': [
+                {
+                    'uuid': 'q1',
+                    'xpath': '/a',
+                    'type': 'qual_text',
+                    'labels': {'_default': 'A1'},
+                },
+            ]
+        }
+
+        created = convert_qual_params(asset, qualdict)
+        # Should return the existing object (updated)
+        self.assertEqual(len(created), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.filter(
+                asset=asset, action=Action.QUAL
+            ).count(),
+            1,
+        )
+
+        qa = QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.get(asset=asset, question_xpath='/a')
+        self.assertEqual(len(qa.params), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(qa.params[0]['uuid'], 'q1')
+
+    def test_convert_qual_params_invalid(self):
+        asset = self._create_asset()
+
+        # empty dict
+        res = convert_qual_params(asset, {})
+        self.assertEqual(res, [])
+        self.assertEqual(QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.filter(asset=asset).count(), 0)
+
+        # malformed qual_survey
+        res = convert_qual_params(asset, {'qual_survey': 'not-a-list'})
+        self.assertEqual(res, [])
+        self.assertEqual(QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.filter(asset=asset).count(), 0)
diff --git a/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/versioning.py b/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/versioning.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d9d3ee5e45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/versioning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, List
+
+from django.db import transaction
+
+from ..constants import Action
+from ..models import QuestionAdvancedAction
+
+
+def convert_qual_params(
+    asset: Any, qualdict: Dict[str, Any]
+) -> List[QuestionAdvancedAction]:
+    """Convert a qual dict (from `Asset.advanced_features['qual']`) into
+    `QuestionAdvancedAction` objects grouped by `xpath`.
+
+    Returns the list of created/updated `QuestionAdvancedAction` instances.
+    """
+    if not qualdict:
+        return []
+
+    qual_survey = qualdict.get('qual_survey')
+    if not isinstance(qual_survey, Iterable):
+        return []
+
+    groups: Dict[str, List[Dict[str, Any]]] = {}
+    for item in qual_survey:
+        if not isinstance(item, dict):
+            continue
+        xpath = item.get('xpath') or item.get('qpath')
+        if not xpath:
+            continue
+        groups.setdefault(xpath, []).append(item)
+
+    created_objs: List[QuestionAdvancedAction] = []
+    with transaction.atomic():
+        for xpath, items in groups.items():
+            obj, _ = QuestionAdvancedAction.objects.update_or_create(
+                asset=asset,
+                action=Action.QUAL,
+                question_xpath=xpath,
+                defaults={'params': list(items)},
+            )
+            created_objs.append(obj)
+
+    return created_objs