From 63bade4325499202aba2df982116a4bddbd7f6fe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Will Hunt <2072976+Half-Shot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2026 14:57:56 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Skip running delayed event background job if the room event
 stream has not advanced. (#20316)

In a similar vein to #20315, this attempts to speed up Synapse when
delayed events aren't in use. Here we skip doing any work if the room
event stream has not advanced.
---
 changelog.d/20316.bugfix                 |  1 +
 synapse/handlers/delayed_events.py       | 10 +++++++
 tests/rest/client/test_delayed_events.py | 37 ++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 48 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 changelog.d/20316.bugfix

diff --git a/changelog.d/20316.bugfix b/changelog.d/20316.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3c49f942a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/20316.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Only run delayed event background jobs when a new room event is processed.
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/delayed_events.py b/synapse/handlers/delayed_events.py
index c86194f77c..7ce3bfdd37 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/delayed_events.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/delayed_events.py
@@ -146,6 +146,16 @@ class DelayedEventsHandler:
         if self._event_processing:
             return
 
+        # This is called for updates on any stream (typing, receipts, to-device,
+        # etc), but only new room events can produce the state deltas we
+        # process. If the room stream hasn't advanced past what we've already
+        # handled, there's nothing to do, so skip the database round-trips.
+        if (
+            self._event_pos is not None
+            and self._event_pos >= self._store.get_room_max_stream_ordering()
+        ):
+            return
+
         self._event_processing = True
 
         async def process() -> None:
diff --git a/tests/rest/client/test_delayed_events.py b/tests/rest/client/test_delayed_events.py
index 93e933d991..6877656e7e 100644
--- a/tests/rest/client/test_delayed_events.py
+++ b/tests/rest/client/test_delayed_events.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 """Tests REST events for /delayed_events paths."""
 
 from http import HTTPStatus
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 
 from parameterized import parameterized
 
@@ -774,6 +775,42 @@ class DelayedEventsTestCase(HomeserverTestCase):
         self._find_sent_delayed_event(self.user1_access_token, delay_id, False)
         self._find_sent_delayed_event(self.user2_access_token, delay_id, False)
 
+    def test_new_state_processing_skipped_without_new_room_events(self) -> None:
+        """Ensure that we only process state deltas (and hit the database) when
+        new room events have been persisted, rather than on every replication
+        notification."""
+        state_key = "to_be_cancelled_by_other_user"
+
+        channel = self.make_request(
+            "PUT",
+            _get_path_for_delayed_state(self.room_id, _EVENT_TYPE, state_key, 900),
+            {},
+            self.user1_access_token,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(HTTPStatus.OK, channel.code, channel.result)
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(self._get_delayed_events()))
+
+        store = self.hs.get_datastores().main
+        store.get_count_of_delayed_events = AsyncMock(return_value=1)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+
+        # Notifications for other streams (typing, receipts, to-device, etc)
+        # don't advance the room stream, so shouldn't cause any processing.
+        self.hs.get_notifier().notify_replication()
+        self.pump()
+        store.get_count_of_delayed_events.assert_not_called()
+
+        # A new state event from another user should still be processed, and
+        # cancel the pending delayed event.
+        self.helper.send_state(
+            self.room_id,
+            _EVENT_TYPE,
+            {},
+            self.user2_access_token,
+            state_key=state_key,
+        )
+        store.get_count_of_delayed_events.assert_called()
+        self.assertListEqual([], self._get_delayed_events())
+
     @parameterized.expand((("client_api", False), ("admin_api", True)))
     def test_delayed_events_are_cancelled_on_deactivation(
         self, _name: str, by_admin: bool