diff --git a/syncapi/storage/postgres/presence_table.go b/syncapi/storage/postgres/presence_table.go
index 7194afea6..1ba44ad0d 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/postgres/presence_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/postgres/presence_table.go
@@ -76,12 +76,22 @@ const selectPresenceAfter = "" +
 	" WHERE id > $1 AND last_active_ts >= $2" +
 	" ORDER BY id ASC LIMIT $3"
 
+const expirePresenceSQL = `UPDATE syncapi_presence SET 
+	id = nextval('syncapi_presence_id'), 
+	presence = 3
+WHERE
+	to_timestamp(last_active_ts / 1000) < NOW() - INTERVAL '5 minutes'
+AND 
+	presence != 3
+`
+
 type presenceStatements struct {
 	upsertPresenceStmt         *sql.Stmt
 	upsertPresenceFromSyncStmt *sql.Stmt
 	selectPresenceForUsersStmt *sql.Stmt
 	selectMaxPresenceStmt      *sql.Stmt
 	selectPresenceAfterStmt    *sql.Stmt
+	expirePresenceStmt         *sql.Stmt
 }
 
 func NewPostgresPresenceTable(db *sql.DB) (*presenceStatements, error) {
@@ -96,6 +106,7 @@ func NewPostgresPresenceTable(db *sql.DB) (*presenceStatements, error) {
 		{&s.selectPresenceForUsersStmt, selectPresenceForUserSQL},
 		{&s.selectMaxPresenceStmt, selectMaxPresenceSQL},
 		{&s.selectPresenceAfterStmt, selectPresenceAfter},
+		{&s.expirePresenceStmt, expirePresenceSQL},
 	}.Prepare(db)
 }
 
@@ -166,3 +177,10 @@ func (p *presenceStatements) GetPresenceAfter(
 	}
 	return presences, rows.Err()
 }
+
+func (p *presenceStatements) ExpirePresence(
+	ctx context.Context,
+) error {
+	_, err := p.expirePresenceStmt.Exec()
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/postgres/syncserver.go b/syncapi/storage/postgres/syncserver.go
index 9cfe7c070..bf47610a4 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/postgres/syncserver.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/postgres/syncserver.go
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 package postgres
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"database/sql"
+	"time"
 
 	// Import the postgres database driver.
 	_ "github.com/lib/pq"
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/setup/config"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/postgres/deltas"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/shared"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
 // SyncServerDatasource represents a sync server datasource which manages
@@ -122,5 +125,17 @@ func NewDatabase(base *base.BaseDendrite, dbProperties *config.DatabaseOptions)
 		Ignores:             ignores,
 		Presence:            presence,
 	}
+	go func() {
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		for {
+			err := d.Database.Presence.ExpirePresence(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				logrus.WithError(err).Error("failed to expire presence")
+			} else {
+				logrus.Info("expired presence")
+			}
+			time.Sleep(time.Minute)
+		}
+	}()
 	return &d, nil
 }
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/shared/syncserver.go b/syncapi/storage/shared/syncserver.go
index ec5edd355..401b69f53 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/shared/syncserver.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/shared/syncserver.go
@@ -1067,3 +1067,7 @@ func (s *Database) PresenceAfter(ctx context.Context, after types.StreamPosition
 func (s *Database) MaxStreamPositionForPresence(ctx context.Context) (types.StreamPosition, error) {
 	return s.Presence.GetMaxPresenceID(ctx, nil)
 }
+
+func (s *Database) ExpirePresence(ctx context.Context) error {
+	return s.Presence.ExpirePresence(ctx)
+}
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/presence_table.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/presence_table.go
index b61a825df..55ab28784 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/presence_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/presence_table.go
@@ -180,3 +180,10 @@ func (p *presenceStatements) GetPresenceAfter(
 	}
 	return presences, rows.Err()
 }
+
+func (p *presenceStatements) ExpirePresence(
+	ctx context.Context,
+) error {
+	// TODO implement
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/tables/interface.go b/syncapi/storage/tables/interface.go
index ccdebfdbd..37884f510 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/tables/interface.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/tables/interface.go
@@ -191,4 +191,5 @@ type Presence interface {
 	GetPresenceForUser(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, userID string) (presence *types.PresenceInternal, err error)
 	GetMaxPresenceID(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx) (pos types.StreamPosition, err error)
 	GetPresenceAfter(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, after types.StreamPosition, filter gomatrixserverlib.EventFilter) (presences map[string]*types.PresenceInternal, err error)
+	ExpirePresence(ctx context.Context) error
 }