diff --git a/federationsender/queue/destinationqueue.go b/federationsender/queue/destinationqueue.go
index 63c8cbd0f..a9609361b 100644
--- a/federationsender/queue/destinationqueue.go
+++ b/federationsender/queue/destinationqueue.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) backgroundSend() {
 
 		// Try sending the next invite and see what happens.
 		if len(pendingInvites) > 0 {
-			invites, ierr := oq.nextInvites(pendingInvites)
+			sent, ierr := oq.nextInvites(pendingInvites)
 			if ierr != nil {
 				// We failed to send the transaction so increase the
 				// backoff and give it another go shortly.
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) backgroundSend() {
 					return
 				}
 				continue
-			} else if invites {
+			} else if sent > 0 {
 				// If we successfully sent the invites then clear out
 				// the pending invites.
 				oq.statistics.Success()
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) backgroundSend() {
 				// opposed to growing forever.
 				oq.pendingInvites = append(
 					[]*gomatrixserverlib.InviteV2Request{},
-					oq.pendingInvites[len(pendingInvites):]...,
+					oq.pendingInvites[sent:]...,
 				)
 				oq.runningMutex.Unlock()
 			}
@@ -256,7 +256,8 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) nextTransaction(
 // them. Returns true if a transaction was sent or false otherwise.
 func (oq *destinationQueue) nextInvites(
 	pendingInvites []*gomatrixserverlib.InviteV2Request,
-) (bool, error) {
+) (int, error) {
+	done := 0
 	for _, inviteReq := range pendingInvites {
 		ev, roomVersion := inviteReq.Event(), inviteReq.RoomVersion()
 
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) nextInvites(
 				"state_key":   ev.StateKey(),
 				"destination": oq.destination,
 			}).WithError(err).Error("failed to send invite")
-			return false, err
+			return done, err
 		}
 
 		if _, err = oq.rsProducer.SendInviteResponse(
@@ -290,9 +291,11 @@ func (oq *destinationQueue) nextInvites(
 				"state_key":   ev.StateKey(),
 				"destination": oq.destination,
 			}).WithError(err).Error("failed to return signed invite to roomserver")
-			return false, err
+			return done, err
 		}
+
+		done++
 	}
 
-	return true, nil
+	return done, nil
 }
diff --git a/federationsender/queue/queue.go b/federationsender/queue/queue.go
index 6f066efdd..74e6da3a9 100644
--- a/federationsender/queue/queue.go
+++ b/federationsender/queue/queue.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (oqs *OutgoingQueues) SendEvent(
 			oqs.queuesMutex.Unlock()
 		}
 
-		go oq.sendEvent(ev)
+		oq.sendEvent(ev)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func (oqs *OutgoingQueues) SendInvite(
 		oqs.queuesMutex.Unlock()
 	}
 
-	go oq.sendInvite(inviteReq)
+	oq.sendInvite(inviteReq)
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (oqs *OutgoingQueues) SendEDU(
 			oqs.queuesMutex.Unlock()
 		}
 
-		go oq.sendEDU(e)
+		oq.sendEDU(e)
 	}
 
 	return nil