diff --git a/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py b/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
index 8d17f7b777..d90d45b643 100644
--- a/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
+++ b/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
@@ -149,14 +149,16 @@ class ApplicationServiceScheduler:
         ):
             return
 
-        # XXX: Special patch just for Gitter which we should remove after the import,
-        # https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/14729
-        #
-        # Ignore events that come from our own users. We probably already know about
-        # them and sent them ourself.
-        events = [event for event in events if not self._hs.is_mine_id(event.sender)]
-
         if events:
+            # XXX: Special patch just for Gitter which we should remove after the import,
+            # https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/14729
+            #
+            # Ignore events that come from our own users. We probably already know about
+            # them and sent them ourself.
+            events = [
+                event for event in events if not self._hs.is_mine_id(event.sender)
+            ]
+
             self.queuer.queued_events.setdefault(appservice.id, []).extend(events)
         if ephemeral:
             self.queuer.queued_ephemeral.setdefault(appservice.id, []).extend(ephemeral)