diff --git a/synapse/push/__init__.py b/synapse/push/__init__.py
index e7c964bcd2..d5928c1d29 100644
--- a/synapse/push/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/push/__init__.py
@@ -157,21 +157,7 @@ class Pusher(object):
         actions = yield rule_evaluator.actions_for_event(single_event)
         tweaks = rule_evaluator.tweaks_for_actions(actions)
 
-        if len(actions) == 0:
-            logger.warn("Empty actions! Using default action.")
-            actions = Pusher.DEFAULT_ACTIONS
-
-        if 'notify' not in actions and 'dont_notify' not in actions:
-            logger.warn("Neither notify nor dont_notify in actions: adding default")
-            actions.extend(Pusher.DEFAULT_ACTIONS)
-
-        if 'dont_notify' in actions:
-            logger.debug(
-                "%s for %s: dont_notify",
-                single_event['event_id'], self.user_name
-            )
-            processed = True
-        else:
+        if 'notify' in actions:
             rejected = yield self.dispatch_push(single_event, tweaks)
             self.has_unread = True
             if isinstance(rejected, list) or isinstance(rejected, tuple):
@@ -192,6 +178,8 @@ class Pusher(object):
                         yield self.hs.get_pusherpool().remove_pusher(
                             self.app_id, pk, self.user_name
                         )
+        else:
+            processed = True
 
         if not self.alive:
             return
diff --git a/synapse/push/action_generator.py b/synapse/push/action_generator.py
index 870c68a0ca..a72a7d703c 100644
--- a/synapse/push/action_generator.py
+++ b/synapse/push/action_generator.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ class ActionGenerator:
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def handle_event(self, event):
         users = yield self.store.get_users_in_room(event['room_id'])
-        logger.error("users in room: %r", users)
 
         for uid in users:
             evaluator = yield push_rule_evaluator.\
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ class ActionGenerator:
                 )
             actions = yield evaluator.actions_for_event(event)
             logger.info("actions for user %s: %s", uid, actions)
-            self.store.set_actions_for_event(
-                event['event_id'], uid, None, actions
-            )
+            if len(actions):
+                self.store.set_actions_for_event(
+                    event['event_id'], uid, None, actions
+                )
diff --git a/synapse/push/push_rule_evaluator.py b/synapse/push/push_rule_evaluator.py
index 92c7fd048f..420476fd0b 100644
--- a/synapse/push/push_rule_evaluator.py
+++ b/synapse/push/push_rule_evaluator.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def evaluator_for_user_name_and_profile_tag(user_name, profile_tag, room_id, sto
 
 
 class PushRuleEvaluator:
-    DEFAULT_ACTIONS = ['dont_notify']
+    DEFAULT_ACTIONS = []
     INEQUALITY_EXPR = re.compile("^([=<>]*)([0-9]*)$")
 
     def __init__(self, user_name, profile_tag, raw_rules, enabled_map, room_id,
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class PushRuleEvaluator:
         """
         if ev['user_id'] == self.user_name:
             # let's assume you probably know about messages you sent yourself
-            defer.returnValue(['dont_notify'])
+            defer.returnValue([])
 
         room_id = ev['room_id']
 
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ class PushRuleEvaluator:
                     "%s matches for user %s, event %s",
                     r['rule_id'], self.user_name, ev['event_id']
                 )
+
+                # filter out dont_notify as we treat an empty actions list
+                # as dont_notify, and this doesn't take up a row in our database
+                actions = [x for x in actions if x != 'dont_notify']
+
                 defer.returnValue(actions)
 
         logger.info(