diff --git a/clientapi/routing/profile.go b/clientapi/routing/profile.go
index 0685c7352..afa7a1a24 100644
--- a/clientapi/routing/profile.go
+++ b/clientapi/routing/profile.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
+
 	appserviceAPI "github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/appservice/api"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/authtypes"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil"
@@ -27,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/roomserver/api"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/setup/config"
 	userapi "github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/userapi/api"
-	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/util"
@@ -126,20 +127,6 @@ func SetAvatarURL(
 		}
 	}
 
-	res := &userapi.QueryProfileResponse{}
-	err = profileAPI.QueryProfile(req.Context(), &userapi.QueryProfileRequest{
-		UserID: userID,
-	}, res)
-	if err != nil {
-		util.GetLogger(req.Context()).WithError(err).Error("profileAPI.QueryProfile failed")
-		return jsonerror.InternalServerError()
-	}
-	oldProfile := &authtypes.Profile{
-		Localpart:   localpart,
-		DisplayName: res.DisplayName,
-		AvatarURL:   res.AvatarURL,
-	}
-
 	setRes := &userapi.PerformSetAvatarURLResponse{}
 	if err = profileAPI.SetAvatarURL(req.Context(), &userapi.PerformSetAvatarURLRequest{
 		Localpart: localpart,
@@ -159,14 +146,8 @@ func SetAvatarURL(
 		return jsonerror.InternalServerError()
 	}
 
-	newProfile := authtypes.Profile{
-		Localpart:   localpart,
-		DisplayName: oldProfile.DisplayName,
-		AvatarURL:   r.AvatarURL,
-	}
-
 	events, err := buildMembershipEvents(
-		req.Context(), roomsRes.RoomIDs, newProfile, userID, cfg, evTime, rsAPI,
+		req.Context(), roomsRes.RoomIDs, *setRes.Profile, userID, cfg, evTime, rsAPI,
 	)
 	switch e := err.(type) {
 	case nil:
@@ -255,24 +236,11 @@ func SetDisplayName(
 		}
 	}
 
-	pRes := &userapi.QueryProfileResponse{}
-	err = profileAPI.QueryProfile(req.Context(), &userapi.QueryProfileRequest{
-		UserID: userID,
-	}, pRes)
-	if err != nil {
-		util.GetLogger(req.Context()).WithError(err).Error("profileAPI.QueryProfile failed")
-		return jsonerror.InternalServerError()
-	}
-	oldProfile := &authtypes.Profile{
-		Localpart:   localpart,
-		DisplayName: pRes.DisplayName,
-		AvatarURL:   pRes.AvatarURL,
-	}
-
+	profileRes := &userapi.PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse{}
 	err = profileAPI.SetDisplayName(req.Context(), &userapi.PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest{
 		Localpart:   localpart,
 		DisplayName: r.DisplayName,
-	}, &struct{}{})
+	}, profileRes)
 	if err != nil {
 		util.GetLogger(req.Context()).WithError(err).Error("profileAPI.SetDisplayName failed")
 		return jsonerror.InternalServerError()
@@ -288,14 +256,8 @@ func SetDisplayName(
 		return jsonerror.InternalServerError()
 	}
 
-	newProfile := authtypes.Profile{
-		Localpart:   localpart,
-		DisplayName: r.DisplayName,
-		AvatarURL:   oldProfile.AvatarURL,
-	}
-
 	events, err := buildMembershipEvents(
-		req.Context(), res.RoomIDs, newProfile, userID, cfg, evTime, rsAPI,
+		req.Context(), res.RoomIDs, *profileRes.Profile, userID, cfg, evTime, rsAPI,
 	)
 	switch e := err.(type) {
 	case nil:
diff --git a/userapi/api/api.go b/userapi/api/api.go
index 66ee9c7c8..226799fd4 100644
--- a/userapi/api/api.go
+++ b/userapi/api/api.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ type ClientUserAPI interface {
 	PerformAccountDeactivation(ctx context.Context, req *PerformAccountDeactivationRequest, res *PerformAccountDeactivationResponse) error
 	PerformOpenIDTokenCreation(ctx context.Context, req *PerformOpenIDTokenCreationRequest, res *PerformOpenIDTokenCreationResponse) error
 	SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, req *PerformSetAvatarURLRequest, res *PerformSetAvatarURLResponse) error
-	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, res *struct{}) error
+	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, res *PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse) error
 	QueryNotifications(ctx context.Context, req *QueryNotificationsRequest, res *QueryNotificationsResponse) error
 	InputAccountData(ctx context.Context, req *InputAccountDataRequest, res *InputAccountDataResponse) error
 	PerformKeyBackup(ctx context.Context, req *PerformKeyBackupRequest, res *PerformKeyBackupResponse) error
@@ -579,7 +579,9 @@ type Notification struct {
 type PerformSetAvatarURLRequest struct {
 	Localpart, AvatarURL string
 }
-type PerformSetAvatarURLResponse struct{}
+type PerformSetAvatarURLResponse struct {
+	Profile *authtypes.Profile `json:"profile"`
+}
 
 type QueryNumericLocalpartResponse struct {
 	ID int64
@@ -606,6 +608,10 @@ type PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest struct {
 	Localpart, DisplayName string
 }
 
+type PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse struct {
+	Profile *authtypes.Profile `json:"profile"`
+}
+
 type QueryLocalpartForThreePIDRequest struct {
 	ThreePID, Medium string
 }
diff --git a/userapi/api/api_trace.go b/userapi/api/api_trace.go
index 7e2f69615..90834f7e3 100644
--- a/userapi/api/api_trace.go
+++ b/userapi/api/api_trace.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (t *UserInternalAPITrace) QueryAccountAvailability(ctx context.Context, req
 	return err
 }
 
-func (t *UserInternalAPITrace) SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, res *struct{}) error {
+func (t *UserInternalAPITrace) SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, res *PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse) error {
 	err := t.Impl.SetDisplayName(ctx, req, res)
 	util.GetLogger(ctx).Infof("SetDisplayName req=%+v res=%+v", js(req), js(res))
 	return err
diff --git a/userapi/internal/api.go b/userapi/internal/api.go
index 2f7795dfe..5f9cef396 100644
--- a/userapi/internal/api.go
+++ b/userapi/internal/api.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (a *UserInternalAPI) PerformAccountCreation(ctx context.Context, req *api.P
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if err = a.DB.SetDisplayName(ctx, req.Localpart, req.Localpart); err != nil {
+	if _, err = a.DB.SetDisplayName(ctx, req.Localpart, req.Localpart); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -813,7 +813,9 @@ func (a *UserInternalAPI) QueryPushRules(ctx context.Context, req *api.QueryPush
 }
 
 func (a *UserInternalAPI) SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, req *api.PerformSetAvatarURLRequest, res *api.PerformSetAvatarURLResponse) error {
-	return a.DB.SetAvatarURL(ctx, req.Localpart, req.AvatarURL)
+	profile, err := a.DB.SetAvatarURL(ctx, req.Localpart, req.AvatarURL)
+	res.Profile = profile
+	return err
 }
 
 func (a *UserInternalAPI) QueryNumericLocalpart(ctx context.Context, res *api.QueryNumericLocalpartResponse) error {
@@ -847,8 +849,10 @@ func (a *UserInternalAPI) QueryAccountByPassword(ctx context.Context, req *api.Q
 	}
 }
 
-func (a *UserInternalAPI) SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *api.PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, _ *struct{}) error {
-	return a.DB.SetDisplayName(ctx, req.Localpart, req.DisplayName)
+func (a *UserInternalAPI) SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, req *api.PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest, res *api.PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse) error {
+	profile, err := a.DB.SetDisplayName(ctx, req.Localpart, req.DisplayName)
+	res.Profile = profile
+	return err
 }
 
 func (a *UserInternalAPI) QueryLocalpartForThreePID(ctx context.Context, req *api.QueryLocalpartForThreePIDRequest, res *api.QueryLocalpartForThreePIDResponse) error {
diff --git a/userapi/inthttp/client.go b/userapi/inthttp/client.go
index a375d6caa..aa5d46d9f 100644
--- a/userapi/inthttp/client.go
+++ b/userapi/inthttp/client.go
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func (h *httpUserInternalAPI) QueryAccountByPassword(
 func (h *httpUserInternalAPI) SetDisplayName(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	request *api.PerformUpdateDisplayNameRequest,
-	response *struct{},
+	response *api.PerformUpdateDisplayNameResponse,
 ) error {
 	return httputil.CallInternalRPCAPI(
 		"SetDisplayName", h.apiURL+PerformSetDisplayNamePath,
diff --git a/userapi/storage/interface.go b/userapi/storage/interface.go
index 02efe7afe..f897c023b 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/interface.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/interface.go
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ import (
 type Profile interface {
 	GetProfileByLocalpart(ctx context.Context, localpart string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
 	SearchProfiles(ctx context.Context, searchString string, limit int) ([]authtypes.Profile, error)
-	SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, localpart string, avatarURL string) error
-	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, localpart string, displayName string) error
+	SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, localpart string, avatarURL string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
+	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, localpart string, displayName string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
 }
 
 type Account interface {
diff --git a/userapi/storage/postgres/profile_table.go b/userapi/storage/postgres/profile_table.go
index f686127be..749ced1c0 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/postgres/profile_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/postgres/profile_table.go
@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@ const selectProfileByLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, display_name, avatar_url FROM userapi_profiles WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const setAvatarURLSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET avatar_url = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
+	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET avatar_url = $1 WHERE localpart = $2" +
+	" RETURNING display_name"
 
 const setDisplayNameSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET display_name = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
+	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET display_name = $1 WHERE localpart = $2" +
+	" RETURNING avatar_url"
 
 const selectProfilesBySearchSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, display_name, avatar_url FROM userapi_profiles WHERE localpart LIKE $1 OR display_name LIKE $1 LIMIT $2"
@@ -100,16 +102,26 @@ func (s *profilesStatements) SelectProfileByLocalpart(
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SetAvatarURL(
 	ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, avatarURL string,
-) (err error) {
-	_, err = s.setAvatarURLStmt.ExecContext(ctx, avatarURL, localpart)
-	return
+) (*authtypes.Profile, error) {
+	profile := &authtypes.Profile{
+		Localpart: localpart,
+		AvatarURL: avatarURL,
+	}
+	stmt := sqlutil.TxStmt(txn, s.setAvatarURLStmt)
+	err := stmt.QueryRowContext(ctx, avatarURL, localpart).Scan(&profile.DisplayName)
+	return profile, err
 }
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SetDisplayName(
 	ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, displayName string,
-) (err error) {
-	_, err = s.setDisplayNameStmt.ExecContext(ctx, displayName, localpart)
-	return
+) (*authtypes.Profile, error) {
+	profile := &authtypes.Profile{
+		Localpart:   localpart,
+		DisplayName: displayName,
+	}
+	stmt := sqlutil.TxStmt(txn, s.setDisplayNameStmt)
+	err := stmt.QueryRowContext(ctx, displayName, localpart).Scan(&profile.AvatarURL)
+	return profile, err
 }
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SelectProfilesBySearch(
diff --git a/userapi/storage/shared/storage.go b/userapi/storage/shared/storage.go
index 4e28f7b5a..ad1b55728 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/shared/storage.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/shared/storage.go
@@ -96,20 +96,24 @@ func (d *Database) GetProfileByLocalpart(
 // localpart. Returns an error if something went wrong with the SQL query
 func (d *Database) SetAvatarURL(
 	ctx context.Context, localpart string, avatarURL string,
-) error {
-	return d.Writer.Do(d.DB, nil, func(txn *sql.Tx) error {
-		return d.Profiles.SetAvatarURL(ctx, txn, localpart, avatarURL)
+) (profile *authtypes.Profile, err error) {
+	err = d.Writer.Do(d.DB, nil, func(txn *sql.Tx) error {
+		profile, err = d.Profiles.SetAvatarURL(ctx, txn, localpart, avatarURL)
+		return err
 	})
+	return
 }
 
 // SetDisplayName updates the display name of the profile associated with the given
 // localpart. Returns an error if something went wrong with the SQL query
 func (d *Database) SetDisplayName(
 	ctx context.Context, localpart string, displayName string,
-) error {
-	return d.Writer.Do(d.DB, nil, func(txn *sql.Tx) error {
-		return d.Profiles.SetDisplayName(ctx, txn, localpart, displayName)
+) (profile *authtypes.Profile, err error) {
+	err = d.Writer.Do(d.DB, nil, func(txn *sql.Tx) error {
+		profile, err = d.Profiles.SetDisplayName(ctx, txn, localpart, displayName)
+		return err
 	})
+	return
 }
 
 // SetPassword sets the account password to the given hash.
diff --git a/userapi/storage/sqlite3/profile_table.go b/userapi/storage/sqlite3/profile_table.go
index 267daf044..63d7ae4b3 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/sqlite3/profile_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/sqlite3/profile_table.go
@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@ const selectProfileByLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, display_name, avatar_url FROM userapi_profiles WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const setAvatarURLSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET avatar_url = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
+	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET avatar_url = $1 WHERE localpart = $2" +
+	" RETURNING display_name"
 
 const setDisplayNameSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET display_name = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
+	"UPDATE userapi_profiles SET display_name = $1 WHERE localpart = $2" +
+	" RETURNING avatar_url"
 
 const selectProfilesBySearchSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, display_name, avatar_url FROM userapi_profiles WHERE localpart LIKE $1 OR display_name LIKE $1 LIMIT $2"
@@ -102,18 +104,26 @@ func (s *profilesStatements) SelectProfileByLocalpart(
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SetAvatarURL(
 	ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, avatarURL string,
-) (err error) {
+) (*authtypes.Profile, error) {
+	profile := &authtypes.Profile{
+		Localpart: localpart,
+		AvatarURL: avatarURL,
+	}
 	stmt := sqlutil.TxStmt(txn, s.setAvatarURLStmt)
-	_, err = stmt.ExecContext(ctx, avatarURL, localpart)
-	return
+	err := stmt.QueryRowContext(ctx, avatarURL, localpart).Scan(&profile.DisplayName)
+	return profile, err
 }
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SetDisplayName(
 	ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, displayName string,
-) (err error) {
+) (*authtypes.Profile, error) {
+	profile := &authtypes.Profile{
+		Localpart:   localpart,
+		DisplayName: displayName,
+	}
 	stmt := sqlutil.TxStmt(txn, s.setDisplayNameStmt)
-	_, err = stmt.ExecContext(ctx, displayName, localpart)
-	return
+	err := stmt.QueryRowContext(ctx, displayName, localpart).Scan(&profile.AvatarURL)
+	return profile, err
 }
 
 func (s *profilesStatements) SelectProfilesBySearch(
diff --git a/userapi/storage/storage_test.go b/userapi/storage/storage_test.go
index 8e5b32b6a..d72ebc94c 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/storage_test.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/storage_test.go
@@ -382,14 +382,13 @@ func Test_Profile(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// set avatar & displayname
 		wantProfile.DisplayName = "Alice"
-		wantProfile.AvatarURL = "mxc://aliceAvatar"
-		err = db.SetDisplayName(ctx, aliceLocalpart, "Alice")
+		gotProfile, err = db.SetDisplayName(ctx, aliceLocalpart, "Alice")
+		assert.Equal(t, wantProfile, gotProfile)
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "unable to set displayname")
-		err = db.SetAvatarURL(ctx, aliceLocalpart, "mxc://aliceAvatar")
+
+		wantProfile.AvatarURL = "mxc://aliceAvatar"
+		gotProfile, err = db.SetAvatarURL(ctx, aliceLocalpart, "mxc://aliceAvatar")
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "unable to set avatar url")
-		// verify profile
-		gotProfile, err = db.GetProfileByLocalpart(ctx, aliceLocalpart)
-		assert.NoError(t, err, "unable to get profile by localpart")
 		assert.Equal(t, wantProfile, gotProfile)
 
 		// search profiles
diff --git a/userapi/storage/tables/interface.go b/userapi/storage/tables/interface.go
index cc4287997..47a254cfc 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/tables/interface.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/tables/interface.go
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ type OpenIDTable interface {
 type ProfileTable interface {
 	InsertProfile(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string) error
 	SelectProfileByLocalpart(ctx context.Context, localpart string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
-	SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, avatarURL string) (err error)
-	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, displayName string) (err error)
+	SetAvatarURL(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, avatarURL string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
+	SetDisplayName(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, localpart string, displayName string) (*authtypes.Profile, error)
 	SelectProfilesBySearch(ctx context.Context, searchString string, limit int) ([]authtypes.Profile, error)
 }