diff --git a/src/api/client_server/profile.rs b/src/api/client_server/profile.rs
index 846b6144..88059f94 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/profile.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/profile.rs
@@ -85,12 +85,10 @@ pub async fn set_displayname_route(
 			.await;
 	}
 
-	if services().globals.allow_local_presence() {
-		// Presence update
-		services()
-			.presence
-			.ping_presence(sender_user, PresenceState::Online)?;
-	}
+	// Presence update
+	services()
+		.presence
+		.ping_presence(sender_user, PresenceState::Online)?;
 
 	Ok(set_display_name::v3::Response {})
 }
@@ -224,12 +222,10 @@ pub async fn set_avatar_url_route(body: Ruma<set_avatar_url::v3::Request>) -> Re
 			.await;
 	}
 
-	if services().globals.allow_local_presence() {
-		// Presence update
-		services()
-			.presence
-			.ping_presence(sender_user, PresenceState::Online)?;
-	}
+	// Presence update
+	services()
+		.presence
+		.ping_presence(sender_user, PresenceState::Online)?;
 
 	Ok(set_avatar_url::v3::Response {})
 }
diff --git a/src/api/client_server/sync.rs b/src/api/client_server/sync.rs
index fa24aed4..a8d1f7f4 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/sync.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/sync.rs
@@ -171,11 +171,9 @@ async fn sync_helper(
 	// bool = caching allowed
 ) -> Result<(sync_events::v3::Response, bool), Error> {
 	// Presence update
-	if services().globals.allow_local_presence() {
-		services()
-			.presence
-			.ping_presence(&sender_user, body.set_presence)?;
-	}
+	services()
+		.presence
+		.ping_presence(&sender_user, body.set_presence)?;
 
 	// Setup watchers, so if there's no response, we can wait for them
 	let watcher = services().globals.watch(&sender_user, &sender_device);
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/presence.rs b/src/database/key_value/presence.rs
index e26765f0..23f5c43c 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/presence.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/presence.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ impl service::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 	}
 
 	fn ping_presence(&self, user_id: &UserId, new_state: PresenceState) -> Result<()> {
+		let Some(ref tx) = *self.presence_timer_sender else {
+			return Ok(());
+		};
+
 		let now = utils::millis_since_unix_epoch();
 		let mut state_changed = false;
 
@@ -74,8 +78,7 @@ impl service::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 			_ => services().globals.config.presence_offline_timeout_s,
 		};
 
-		self.presence_timer_sender
-			.send((user_id.to_owned(), Duration::from_secs(timeout)))
+		tx.send((user_id.to_owned(), Duration::from_secs(timeout)))
 			.map_err(|e| {
 				error!("Failed to add presence timer: {}", e);
 				Error::bad_database("Failed to add presence timer")
@@ -86,6 +89,10 @@ impl service::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 		&self, room_id: &RoomId, user_id: &UserId, presence_state: PresenceState, currently_active: Option<bool>,
 		last_active_ago: Option<UInt>, status_msg: Option<String>,
 	) -> Result<()> {
+		let Some(ref tx) = *self.presence_timer_sender else {
+			return Ok(());
+		};
+
 		let now = utils::millis_since_unix_epoch();
 		let last_active_ts = match last_active_ago {
 			Some(last_active_ago) => now.saturating_sub(last_active_ago.into()),
@@ -107,8 +114,7 @@ impl service::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 			_ => services().globals.config.presence_offline_timeout_s,
 		};
 
-		self.presence_timer_sender
-			.send((user_id.to_owned(), Duration::from_secs(timeout)))
+		tx.send((user_id.to_owned(), Duration::from_secs(timeout)))
 			.map_err(|e| {
 				error!("Failed to add presence timer: {}", e);
 				Error::bad_database("Failed to add presence timer")
diff --git a/src/database/mod.rs b/src/database/mod.rs
index cf0a1d15..564f90a6 100644
--- a/src/database/mod.rs
+++ b/src/database/mod.rs
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ pub struct KeyValueDatabase {
 	pub(super) our_real_users_cache: RwLock<HashMap<OwnedRoomId, Arc<HashSet<OwnedUserId>>>>,
 	pub(super) appservice_in_room_cache: RwLock<HashMap<OwnedRoomId, HashMap<String, bool>>>,
 	pub(super) lasttimelinecount_cache: Mutex<HashMap<OwnedRoomId, PduCount>>,
-	pub(super) presence_timer_sender: Arc<mpsc::UnboundedSender<(OwnedUserId, Duration)>>,
+	pub(super) presence_timer_sender: Arc<Option<mpsc::UnboundedSender<(OwnedUserId, Duration)>>>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -275,7 +275,13 @@ impl KeyValueDatabase {
 			},
 		};
 
-		let (presence_sender, presence_receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+		let presence_sender = if services().globals.allow_local_presence() {
+			let (presence_sender, presence_receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+			Self::start_presence_handler(presence_receiver).await;
+			Some(presence_sender)
+		} else {
+			None
+		};
 
 		let db_raw = Box::new(Self {
 			db: builder.clone(),
@@ -1059,9 +1065,6 @@ impl KeyValueDatabase {
 		if services().globals.allow_check_for_updates() {
 			Self::start_check_for_updates_task().await;
 		}
-		if services().globals.allow_local_presence() {
-			Self::start_presence_handler(presence_receiver).await;
-		}
 
 		Ok(())
 	}