diff --git a/changelog.d/5275.bugfix b/changelog.d/5275.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45a554642a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/5275.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix "db txn 'update_presence' from sentinel context" log messages.
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/presence.py b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
index 59d53f1050..6209858bbb 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/presence.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
@@ -182,17 +182,27 @@ class PresenceHandler(object):
         # Start a LoopingCall in 30s that fires every 5s.
         # The initial delay is to allow disconnected clients a chance to
         # reconnect before we treat them as offline.
+        def run_timeout_handler():
+            return run_as_background_process(
+                "handle_presence_timeouts", self._handle_timeouts
+            )
+
         self.clock.call_later(
             30,
             self.clock.looping_call,
-            self._handle_timeouts,
+            run_timeout_handler,
             5000,
         )
 
+        def run_persister():
+            return run_as_background_process(
+                "persist_presence_changes", self._persist_unpersisted_changes
+            )
+
         self.clock.call_later(
             60,
             self.clock.looping_call,
-            self._persist_unpersisted_changes,
+            run_persister,
             60 * 1000,
         )
 
@@ -229,6 +239,7 @@ class PresenceHandler(object):
         )
 
         if self.unpersisted_users_changes:
+
             yield self.store.update_presence([
                 self.user_to_current_state[user_id]
                 for user_id in self.unpersisted_users_changes
@@ -240,30 +251,18 @@ class PresenceHandler(object):
         """We periodically persist the unpersisted changes, as otherwise they
         may stack up and slow down shutdown times.
         """
-        logger.info(
-            "Performing _persist_unpersisted_changes. Persisting %d unpersisted changes",
-            len(self.unpersisted_users_changes)
-        )
-
         unpersisted = self.unpersisted_users_changes
         self.unpersisted_users_changes = set()
 
         if unpersisted:
+            logger.info(
+                "Persisting %d upersisted presence updates", len(unpersisted)
+            )
             yield self.store.update_presence([
                 self.user_to_current_state[user_id]
                 for user_id in unpersisted
             ])
 
-        logger.info("Finished _persist_unpersisted_changes")
-
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _update_states_and_catch_exception(self, new_states):
-        try:
-            res = yield self._update_states(new_states)
-            defer.returnValue(res)
-        except Exception:
-            logger.exception("Error updating presence")
-
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _update_states(self, new_states):
         """Updates presence of users. Sets the appropriate timeouts. Pokes
@@ -338,45 +337,41 @@ class PresenceHandler(object):
         logger.info("Handling presence timeouts")
         now = self.clock.time_msec()
 
-        try:
-            with Measure(self.clock, "presence_handle_timeouts"):
-                # Fetch the list of users that *may* have timed out. Things may have
-                # changed since the timeout was set, so we won't necessarily have to
-                # take any action.
-                users_to_check = set(self.wheel_timer.fetch(now))
+        # Fetch the list of users that *may* have timed out. Things may have
+        # changed since the timeout was set, so we won't necessarily have to
+        # take any action.
+        users_to_check = set(self.wheel_timer.fetch(now))
 
-                # Check whether the lists of syncing processes from an external
-                # process have expired.
-                expired_process_ids = [
-                    process_id for process_id, last_update
-                    in self.external_process_last_updated_ms.items()
-                    if now - last_update > EXTERNAL_PROCESS_EXPIRY
-                ]
-                for process_id in expired_process_ids:
-                    users_to_check.update(
-                        self.external_process_last_updated_ms.pop(process_id, ())
-                    )
-                    self.external_process_last_update.pop(process_id)
+        # Check whether the lists of syncing processes from an external
+        # process have expired.
+        expired_process_ids = [
+            process_id for process_id, last_update
+            in self.external_process_last_updated_ms.items()
+            if now - last_update > EXTERNAL_PROCESS_EXPIRY
+        ]
+        for process_id in expired_process_ids:
+            users_to_check.update(
+                self.external_process_last_updated_ms.pop(process_id, ())
+            )
+            self.external_process_last_update.pop(process_id)
 
-                states = [
-                    self.user_to_current_state.get(
-                        user_id, UserPresenceState.default(user_id)
-                    )
-                    for user_id in users_to_check
-                ]
+        states = [
+            self.user_to_current_state.get(
+                user_id, UserPresenceState.default(user_id)
+            )
+            for user_id in users_to_check
+        ]
 
-                timers_fired_counter.inc(len(states))
+        timers_fired_counter.inc(len(states))
 
-                changes = handle_timeouts(
-                    states,
-                    is_mine_fn=self.is_mine_id,
-                    syncing_user_ids=self.get_currently_syncing_users(),
-                    now=now,
-                )
+        changes = handle_timeouts(
+            states,
+            is_mine_fn=self.is_mine_id,
+            syncing_user_ids=self.get_currently_syncing_users(),
+            now=now,
+        )
 
-            run_in_background(self._update_states_and_catch_exception, changes)
-        except Exception:
-            logger.exception("Exception in _handle_timeouts loop")
+        return self._update_states(changes)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def bump_presence_active_time(self, user):