diff --git a/synapse/storage/room.py b/synapse/storage/room.py
index 908551d6d9..740c036975 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/room.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/room.py
@@ -594,7 +594,8 @@ class RoomStore(RoomWorkerStore, SearchStore):
 
         while next_token:
             sql = """
-                SELECT stream_ordering, content FROM events
+                SELECT stream_ordering, json FROM events
+                JOIN event_json USING (event_id)
                 WHERE room_id = ?
                     AND stream_ordering < ?
                     AND contains_url = ? AND outlier = ?
@@ -606,8 +607,8 @@ class RoomStore(RoomWorkerStore, SearchStore):
             next_token = None
             for stream_ordering, content_json in txn:
                 next_token = stream_ordering
-                content = json.loads(content_json)
-
+                event_json = json.loads(content_json)
+                content = event_json["content"]
                 content_url = content.get("url")
                 thumbnail_url = content.get("info", {}).get("thumbnail_url")
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/roommember.py b/synapse/storage/roommember.py
index d662d1cfc0..6a861943a2 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/roommember.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/roommember.py
@@ -645,8 +645,9 @@ class RoomMemberStore(RoomMemberWorkerStore):
 
         def add_membership_profile_txn(txn):
             sql = ("""
-                SELECT stream_ordering, event_id, events.room_id, content
+                SELECT stream_ordering, event_id, events.room_id, event_json.json
                 FROM events
+                INNER JOIN event_json USING (event_id)
                 INNER JOIN room_memberships USING (event_id)
                 WHERE ? <= stream_ordering AND stream_ordering < ?
                 AND type = 'm.room.member'
@@ -667,7 +668,8 @@ class RoomMemberStore(RoomMemberWorkerStore):
                 event_id = row["event_id"]
                 room_id = row["room_id"]
                 try:
-                    content = json.loads(row["content"])
+                    event_json = json.loads(row["json"])
+                    content = event_json['content']
                 except Exception:
                     continue
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/search.py b/synapse/storage/search.py
index 984643b057..426cbe6e1a 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/search.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/search.py
@@ -75,8 +75,9 @@ class SearchStore(BackgroundUpdateStore):
 
         def reindex_search_txn(txn):
             sql = (
-                "SELECT stream_ordering, event_id, room_id, type, content, "
+                "SELECT stream_ordering, event_id, room_id, type, json, "
                 " origin_server_ts FROM events"
+                " JOIN event_json USING (event_id)"
                 " WHERE ? <= stream_ordering AND stream_ordering < ?"
                 " AND (%s)"
                 " ORDER BY stream_ordering DESC"
@@ -104,7 +105,8 @@ class SearchStore(BackgroundUpdateStore):
                     stream_ordering = row["stream_ordering"]
                     origin_server_ts = row["origin_server_ts"]
                     try:
-                        content = json.loads(row["content"])
+                        event_json = json.loads(row["json"])
+                        content = event_json["content"]
                     except Exception:
                         continue