diff --git a/changelog.d/17231.bugfix b/changelog.d/17231.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..322b79dc12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/17231.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed presence results not returning offline users on initial sync. Contributed by @Michael-Hollister.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
index ac5bddd52f..56da624895 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -2281,16 +2281,13 @@ class SyncHandler:
 
         since_token = sync_result_builder.since_token
         presence_key = None
-        include_offline = False
         if since_token and not sync_result_builder.full_state:
             presence_key = since_token.presence_key
-            include_offline = True
 
         presence, presence_key = await presence_source.get_new_events(
             user=user,
             from_key=presence_key,
             is_guest=sync_config.is_guest,
-            include_offline=include_offline,
         )
         assert presence_key
         sync_result_builder.now_token = now_token.copy_and_replace(
diff --git a/tests/module_api/test_api.py b/tests/module_api/test_api.py
index 5eb1406a06..1182343ddc 100644
--- a/tests/module_api/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/module_api/test_api.py
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ def _test_sending_local_online_presence_to_local_user(
     presence_updates, sync_token = sync_presence(
         test_case, test_case.presence_receiver_id
     )
-    test_case.assertEqual(len(presence_updates), 1)
+    test_case.assertEqual(len(presence_updates), 2)
 
     presence_update: UserPresenceState = presence_updates[0]
     test_case.assertEqual(presence_update.user_id, test_case.presence_sender_id)