diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation.py b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
index ae7e0d6da..260df025f 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 import httplib
 import itertools
 import logging
+import sys
 
 from signedjson.key import decode_verify_key_bytes
 from signedjson.sign import verify_signed_json
+import six
 from twisted.internet import defer
 from unpaddedbase64 import decode_base64
 
@@ -1513,12 +1515,14 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 backfilled=backfilled,
             )
         except:  # noqa: E722, as we reraise the exception this is fine.
-            # Ensure that we actually remove the entries in the push actions
-            # staging area
-            logcontext.preserve_fn(
-                self.store.remove_push_actions_from_staging
-            )(event.event_id)
-            raise
+            tp, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
+
+            logcontext.run_in_background(
+                self.store.remove_push_actions_from_staging,
+                event.event_id,
+            )
+
+            six.reraise(tp, value, tb)
 
         if not backfilled:
             # this intentionally does not yield: we don't care about the result
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index d168ff5b8..ad932bdd9 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import logging
+import simplejson
+import sys
+
+from canonicaljson import encode_canonical_json
+import six
 from twisted.internet import defer, reactor
 from twisted.python.failure import Failure
 
@@ -34,11 +40,6 @@ from synapse.replication.http.send_event import send_event_to_master
 
 from ._base import BaseHandler
 
-from canonicaljson import encode_canonical_json
-
-import logging
-import simplejson
-
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -729,8 +730,14 @@ class EventCreationHandler(object):
         except:  # noqa: E722, as we reraise the exception this is fine.
             # Ensure that we actually remove the entries in the push actions
             # staging area, if we calculated them.
-            preserve_fn(self.store.remove_push_actions_from_staging)(event.event_id)
-            raise
+            tp, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
+
+            run_in_background(
+                self.store.remove_push_actions_from_staging,
+                event.event_id,
+            )
+
+            six.reraise(tp, value, tb)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def persist_and_notify_client_event(