diff --git a/synapse/handlers/profile.py b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
index b3bffb0cc2..5a052baec2 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ class ProfileHandler:
         )
 
     async def _record_profile_updates(
-        self, user_id: UserID, updates: list[tuple[str, JsonValue | None]]
+        self, user_id: UserID, updated_fields: list[str]
     ) -> None:
-        if not self._msc4429_enabled or not updates:
+        if not self._msc4429_enabled or not updated_fields:
             return
 
-        stream_id = await self.store.add_profile_updates(user_id, updates)
+        stream_id = await self.store.add_profile_updates(user_id, updated_fields)
         await self._notify_profile_update(user_id, stream_id)
 
     async def get_profile(self, user_id: str, ignore_backoff: bool = True) -> JsonDict:
@@ -275,7 +275,8 @@ class ProfileHandler:
 
         await self.store.set_profile_displayname(target_user, displayname_to_set)
         await self._record_profile_updates(
-            target_user, [(ProfileFields.DISPLAYNAME, displayname_to_set)]
+            target_user,
+            [ProfileFields.DISPLAYNAME],
         )
 
         profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
@@ -387,7 +388,8 @@ class ProfileHandler:
 
         await self.store.set_profile_avatar_url(target_user, avatar_url_to_set)
         await self._record_profile_updates(
-            target_user, [(ProfileFields.AVATAR_URL, avatar_url_to_set)]
+            target_user,
+            [ProfileFields.AVATAR_URL],
         )
 
         profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
@@ -471,7 +473,9 @@ class ProfileHandler:
                 profile_updates.append((field_name, None))
 
         await self.store.delete_profile(target_user)
-        await self._record_profile_updates(target_user, profile_updates)
+        await self._record_profile_updates(
+            target_user, [field_name for field_name, _value in profile_updates]
+        )
 
         await self._third_party_rules.on_profile_update(
             target_user.to_string(),
@@ -625,7 +629,7 @@ class ProfileHandler:
             raise AuthError(403, "Cannot set another user's profile")
 
         await self.store.set_profile_field(target_user, field_name, new_value)
-        await self._record_profile_updates(target_user, [(field_name, new_value)])
+        await self._record_profile_updates(target_user, [field_name])
 
         # Custom fields do not propagate into the user directory *or* rooms.
         profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
@@ -661,7 +665,7 @@ class ProfileHandler:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's profile")
 
         await self.store.delete_profile_field(target_user, field_name)
-        await self._record_profile_updates(target_user, [(field_name, None)])
+        await self._record_profile_updates(target_user, [field_name])
 
         # Custom fields do not propagate into the user directory *or* rooms.
         profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/profile.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/profile.py
index ecd9c53c93..e6fcfc711d 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/profile.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #
 #
 import json
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Collection, Iterable, Sequence, cast
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Collection, Iterable, cast
 
 import attr
 from canonicaljson import encode_canonical_json
@@ -436,21 +436,23 @@ class ProfileWorkerStore(SQLBaseStore):
         return results
 
     async def add_profile_updates(
-        self, user_id: UserID, updates: Sequence[tuple[str, JsonValue | None]]
+        self,
+        user_id: UserID,
+        updated_fields: list[str],
     ) -> int:
         """Persist profile update markers and return the last stream ID."""
         assert self._can_write_to_profile_updates
 
-        if not updates:
+        if not updated_fields:
             return self._profile_updates_id_gen.get_current_token()
 
         user_id_str = user_id.to_string()
 
         def _add_profile_updates_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> int:
             stream_ids = self._profile_updates_id_gen.get_next_mult_txn(
-                txn, len(updates)
+                txn, len(updated_fields)
             )
-            for stream_id, (field_name, _value) in zip(stream_ids, updates):
+            for stream_id, field_name in zip(stream_ids, updated_fields):
                 self.db_pool.simple_insert_txn(
                     txn,
                     table="profile_updates",