diff --git a/synapse/util/async.py b/synapse/util/async.py
index 647ea6142c..bf578f8bfb 100644
--- a/synapse/util/async.py
+++ b/synapse/util/async.py
@@ -21,3 +21,10 @@ def sleep(seconds):
     d = defer.Deferred()
     reactor.callLater(seconds, d.callback, seconds)
     return d
+
+
+def run_on_reactor():
+    """ This will cause the rest of the function to be invoked upon the next
+    iteration of the main loop
+    """
+    return sleep(0)
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