diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/20201017140347_create_receipt_table.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/20201017140347_create_receipt_table.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6ac06840
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/20201017140347_create_receipt_table.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package deltas
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/sqlutil"
+	"github.com/pressly/goose"
+)
+
+func LoadFromGoose() {
+	goose.AddMigration(UpCreateReceiptTable, DownCreateReceiptTable)
+}
+
+func LoadCreateReceiptTable(m *sqlutil.Migrations) {
+	m.AddMigration(UpCreateReceiptTable, DownCreateReceiptTable)
+}
+
+func UpCreateReceiptTable(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(`
+-- Stores data about receipts
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS syncapi_receipts (
+	-- The ID
+	id BIGINT,
+	room_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+	receipt_type TEXT NOT NULL,
+	user_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+	event_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+	receipt_ts BIGINT NOT NULL,
+	CONSTRAINT syncapi_receipts_unique UNIQUE (room_id, receipt_type, user_id)
+);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS syncapi_receipts_room_id_idx ON syncapi_receipts(room_id);
+`)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute upgrade: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func DownCreateReceiptTable(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS syncapi_receipts;")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute downgrade: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/receipt_table.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/receipt_table.go
index b1770e801..4449891ba 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/receipt_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/receipt_table.go
@@ -63,10 +63,7 @@ type receiptStatements struct {
 }
 
 func NewSqliteReceiptsTable(db *sql.DB, streamID *streamIDStatements) (tables.Receipts, error) {
-	_, err := db.Exec(receiptsSchema)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	var err error
 	r := &receiptStatements{
 		db:                 db,
 		streamIDStatements: streamID,
@@ -80,6 +77,11 @@ func NewSqliteReceiptsTable(db *sql.DB, streamID *streamIDStatements) (tables.Re
 	return r, nil
 }
 
+func (r *receiptStatements) execSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
+	_, err := db.Exec(receiptsSchema)
+	return err
+}
+
 // UpsertReceipt creates new user receipts
 func (r *receiptStatements) UpsertReceipt(ctx context.Context, txn *sql.Tx, roomId, receiptType, userId, eventId string, timestamp gomatrixserverlib.Timestamp) (pos types.StreamPosition, err error) {
 	pos, err = r.streamIDStatements.nextStreamID(ctx, txn)
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/syncserver.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/syncserver.go
index 036e2b2e5..80d844e3a 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/syncserver.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/syncserver.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/config"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/sqlutil"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/shared"
+	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas"
 )
 
 // SyncServerDatasource represents a sync server datasource which manages
@@ -46,6 +47,18 @@ func NewDatabase(dbProperties *config.DatabaseOptions) (*SyncServerDatasource, e
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	d.writer = sqlutil.NewExclusiveWriter()
+
+	// Create tables before executing migrations so we don't fail if the table is missing,
+	// and THEN prepare statements so we don't fail due to referencing new columns
+	r := receiptStatements{}
+	if err = r.execSchema(d.db); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	m := sqlutil.NewMigrations()
+	deltas.LoadCreateReceiptTable(m)
+	if err = m.RunDeltas(d.db, dbProperties); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if err = d.prepare(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}