diff --git a/synapse/storage/util/id_generators.py b/synapse/storage/util/id_generators.py
index 5c18bc4765f5..4dc04de35e48 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/util/id_generators.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/util/id_generators.py
@@ -710,10 +710,17 @@ def get_current_token_for_writer(self, instance_name: str) -> int:
         # persisted up to position. This stops Synapse from doing a full table
         # scan when a new writer announces itself over replication.
         with self._lock:
-            return self._return_factor * self._current_positions.get(
+            pos = self._current_positions.get(
                 instance_name, self._persisted_upto_position
             )
 
+            # We also ensure that we always return at least the
+            # `persisted_upto_position` for ourselves, so that when we notify
+            # other workers about our position we give them the max valid value
+            # here so that nothing waits for us to advance.
+            pos = max(pos, self._persisted_upto_position)
+            return self._return_factor * pos
+
     def get_positions(self) -> Dict[str, int]:
         """Get a copy of the current positon map.
 
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_id_generators.py b/tests/storage/test_id_generators.py
index b286822f044f..012babc35b2a 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_id_generators.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_id_generators.py
@@ -350,15 +350,12 @@ def test_multi_instance(self) -> None:
         first_id_gen = self._create_id_generator("first", writers=["first", "second"])
         second_id_gen = self._create_id_generator("second", writers=["first", "second"])
 
-        # The first ID gen will notice that it can advance its token to 7 as it
-        # has no in progress writes...
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 7})
-        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
 
-        # ... but the second ID gen doesn't know that.
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 7})
-        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
 
         # Try allocating a new ID gen and check that we only see position
@@ -420,14 +417,14 @@ def test_multi_instance_empty_row(self) -> None:
         self.assertEqual(
             first_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 7, "third": 7}
         )
-        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("third"), 7)
 
         self.assertEqual(
             second_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 7, "third": 7}
         )
-        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("third"), 7)
 
@@ -873,11 +870,11 @@ def test_load_existing_stream(self) -> None:
         second_id_gen = self._create_id_generator("second", writers=["first", "second"])
 
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 6})
-        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
-        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 6)
+        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
+        self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(first_id_gen.get_persisted_upto_position(), 7)
 
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_positions(), {"first": 3, "second": 7})
-        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("first"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_current_token_for_writer("second"), 7)
         self.assertEqual(second_id_gen.get_persisted_upto_position(), 7)