diff --git a/synapse/storage/account_data.py b/synapse/storage/account_data.py
index 62e49e1c0e..88404059e8 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/account_data.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/account_data.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class AccountDataStore(SQLBaseStore):
             user_id, int(stream_id)
         )
         if not changed:
-            defer.returnValue(({}, {}))
+            return ({}, {})
 
         return self.runInteraction(
             "get_updated_account_data_for_user", get_updated_account_data_for_user_txn