diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation.py b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
index 724cae9647..bcd3b422aa 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
@@ -670,8 +670,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         return fetched_events
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _process_received_pdu(self, origin, event, state, auth_chain):
+    async def _process_received_pdu(self, origin, event, state, auth_chain):
         """ Called when we have a new pdu. We need to do auth checks and put it
         through the StateHandler.
         """
@@ -686,7 +685,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
         if auth_chain:
             event_ids |= {e.event_id for e in auth_chain}
 
-        seen_ids = yield self.store.have_seen_events(event_ids)
+        seen_ids = await self.store.have_seen_events(event_ids)
 
         if state and auth_chain is not None:
             # If we have any state or auth_chain given to us by the replication
@@ -713,18 +712,18 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 event_id,
                 [e.event.event_id for e in event_infos],
             )
-            yield self._handle_new_events(origin, event_infos)
+            await self._handle_new_events(origin, event_infos)
 
         try:
-            context = yield self._handle_new_event(origin, event, state=state)
+            context = await self._handle_new_event(origin, event, state=state)
         except AuthError as e:
             raise FederationError("ERROR", e.code, e.msg, affected=event.event_id)
 
-        room = yield self.store.get_room(room_id)
+        room = await self.store.get_room(room_id)
 
         if not room:
             try:
-                yield self.store.store_room(
+                await self.store.store_room(
                     room_id=room_id, room_creator_user_id="", is_public=False
                 )
             except StoreError:
@@ -737,11 +736,11 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 # changing their profile info.
                 newly_joined = True
 
-                prev_state_ids = yield context.get_prev_state_ids(self.store)
+                prev_state_ids = await context.get_prev_state_ids(self.store)
 
                 prev_state_id = prev_state_ids.get((event.type, event.state_key))
                 if prev_state_id:
-                    prev_state = yield self.store.get_event(
+                    prev_state = await self.store.get_event(
                         prev_state_id, allow_none=True
                     )
                     if prev_state and prev_state.membership == Membership.JOIN:
@@ -749,7 +748,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
 
                 if newly_joined:
                     user = UserID.from_string(event.state_key)
-                    yield self.user_joined_room(user, room_id)
+                    await self.user_joined_room(user, room_id)
 
     @log_function
     async def backfill(self, dest, room_id, limit, extremities):
@@ -2899,7 +2898,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 room_id=room_id, user_id=user.to_string(), change="joined"
             )
         else:
-            return user_joined_room(self.distributor, user, room_id)
+            return defer.succeed(user_joined_room(self.distributor, user, room_id))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_room_complexity(self, remote_room_hosts, room_id):