diff --git a/tests/handlers/test_profile.py b/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
index 5aa91916c3..55191d26d2 100644
--- a/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
+++ b/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
@@ -747,13 +747,14 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
 
     def test_background_update_room_membership_resume_after_restart(self) -> None:
         """Test that room membership updates triggered by changing the avatar or the display name are resumed after a restart."""
-
+        initial_displayname = "Frank"
+        updated_displayname = "Frank Jr."
         self.get_success(
             self.handler.set_field(
                 target_user=self.frank,
                 requester=synapse.types.create_requester(self.frank),
                 field_name=ProfileFields.DISPLAYNAME,
-                new_value="Frank",
+                new_value=initial_displayname,
             )
         )
 
@@ -768,7 +769,6 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             self.frank.to_string(), tok=self.frank_token
         )
 
-
         # Set read receipts with different timestamps (simulate different read times)
         # Room 1 should be most recent, then room 2, then room 3
         event_3 = self.helper.send(room_id_3, "Hello 3", tok=self.frank_token)
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
                     target_user=self.frank,
                     requester=synapse.types.create_requester(self.frank),
                     field_name=ProfileFields.DISPLAYNAME,
-                    new_value="Frank Jr.",
+                    new_value=updated_displayname,
                 )
             )
 
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
                 )
             )
             self.assertEqual(
-                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], "Frank Jr."
+                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], updated_displayname
             )
 
             # Simulate a synapse restart by emptying the list of running tasks
@@ -861,7 +861,9 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
                     room_id_2, StateFilter.from_types([state_tuple])
                 )
             )
-            self.assertEqual(membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], "Frank")
+            self.assertEqual(
+                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], initial_displayname
+            )
 
             cancelled_task = self.get_success(
                 self.task_scheduler.get_tasks(
@@ -890,7 +892,7 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
                 )
             )
             self.assertEqual(
-                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], "Frank Jr."
+                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], updated_displayname
             )
             membership = self.get_success(
                 self.storage_controllers.state.get_current_state(
@@ -898,10 +900,9 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
                 )
             )
             self.assertEqual(
-                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], "Frank Jr."
+                membership[state_tuple].content["displayname"], updated_displayname
             )
 
-
     def test_room_update_ordering_by_read_receipt(self) -> None:
         """Test that rooms are updated in order of most recent read receipt."""
         self.get_success(
@@ -927,7 +928,7 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         event_3 = self.helper.send(room_id_3, "Hello 3", tok=self.frank_token)
 
         # Set read receipts with different timestamps (simulate different read times)
-        # Room 2 should be most recent, then room 3, then room 1
+        # Room 3 is the most recent, then room 2, then room 1
         self.get_success(
             self.store.insert_receipt(
                 room_id_1,
@@ -940,20 +941,20 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         )
         self.get_success(
             self.store.insert_receipt(
-                room_id_3,
+                room_id_2,
                 ReceiptTypes.READ,
                 user_id=self.frank.to_string(),
-                event_ids=[event_3["event_id"]],
+                event_ids=[event_2["event_id"]],
                 thread_id=None,
                 data={"ts": 200},
             )
         )
         self.get_success(
             self.store.insert_receipt(
-                room_id_2,
+                room_id_3,
                 ReceiptTypes.READ,
                 user_id=self.frank.to_string(),
-                event_ids=[event_2["event_id"]],
+                event_ids=[event_3["event_id"]],
                 thread_id=None,
                 data={"ts": 300},
             )