diff --git a/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go b/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
index 64c1835b0..a8c8dd9de 100644
--- a/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
+++ b/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
@@ -682,22 +682,22 @@ func (d *Database) storeEvent(
 		// any other so this is fine. If we ever update GetLatestEventsForUpdate or NewLatestEventsUpdater
 		// to do writes however then this will need to go inside `Writer.Do`.
 		succeeded := false
-		if err = d.Writer.Do(nil, nil, func(txn *sql.Tx) error {
-			if updater == nil {
-				var roomInfo *types.RoomInfo
-				roomInfo, err = d.roomInfo(ctx, txn, event.RoomID())
-				if err != nil {
-					return fmt.Errorf("d.RoomInfo: %w", err)
-				}
-				if roomInfo == nil && len(prevEvents) > 0 {
-					return fmt.Errorf("expected room %q to exist", event.RoomID())
-				}
-				updater, err = d.GetRoomUpdater(ctx, roomInfo)
-				if err != nil {
-					return fmt.Errorf("GetRoomUpdater: %w", err)
-				}
-				defer sqlutil.EndTransactionWithCheck(updater, &succeeded, &err)
+		if updater == nil {
+			var roomInfo *types.RoomInfo
+			roomInfo, err = d.roomInfo(ctx, txn, event.RoomID())
+			if err != nil {
+				return 0, 0, types.StateAtEvent{}, nil, "", fmt.Errorf("d.RoomInfo: %w", err)
 			}
+			if roomInfo == nil && len(prevEvents) > 0 {
+				return 0, 0, types.StateAtEvent{}, nil, "", fmt.Errorf("expected room %q to exist", event.RoomID())
+			}
+			updater, err = d.GetRoomUpdater(ctx, roomInfo)
+			if err != nil {
+				return 0, 0, types.StateAtEvent{}, nil, "", fmt.Errorf("GetRoomUpdater: %w", err)
+			}
+			defer sqlutil.EndTransactionWithCheck(updater, &succeeded, &err)
+		}
+		if err = d.Writer.Do(nil, nil, func(_ *sql.Tx) error {
 			if err = updater.StorePreviousEvents(eventNID, prevEvents); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("updater.StorePreviousEvents: %w", err)
 			}