diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation.py b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
index c6b3a1bf3a..ff44c42312 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
@@ -1116,14 +1116,19 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
     async def _maybe_backfill_inner(
         self, room_id: str, current_depth: int, limit: int
     ) -> bool:
-        oldest_events = await self.store.get_oldest_events_with_depth_in_room(room_id)
+        oldest_events_with_depth = (
+            await self.store.get_oldest_events_with_depth_in_room(room_id)
+        )
         insertion_events_to_be_backfilled = (
             await self.store.get_insertion_event_backwards_extremities_in_room(room_id)
         )
-        extremities = {**oldest_events, **insertion_events_to_be_backfilled}
-        logger.info("_maybe_backfill_inner: extremities %s", extremities)
+        logger.info(
+            "_maybe_backfill_inner: extremities oldest_events_with_depth=%s insertion_events_to_be_backfilled=%s",
+            oldest_events_with_depth,
+            insertion_events_to_be_backfilled,
+        )
 
-        if not extremities:
+        if not oldest_events_with_depth and not insertion_events_to_be_backfilled:
             logger.debug("Not backfilling as no extremeties found.")
             return False
 
@@ -1153,11 +1158,13 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
         #   state *before* the event, ignoring the special casing certain event
         #   types have.
 
-        forward_events = await self.store.get_successor_events(list(extremities))
-        logger.info("_maybe_backfill_inner: forward_events %s", forward_events)
+        forward_event_ids = await self.store.get_successor_events(
+            list(oldest_events_with_depth)
+        )
+        logger.info("_maybe_backfill_inner: forward_event_ids=%s", forward_event_ids)
 
         extremities_events = await self.store.get_events(
-            forward_events,
+            forward_event_ids,
             redact_behaviour=EventRedactBehaviour.AS_IS,
             get_prev_content=False,
         )
@@ -1176,9 +1183,15 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
             "_maybe_backfill_inner: filtered_extremities %s", filtered_extremities
         )
 
-        if not filtered_extremities:
+        if not filtered_extremities and not insertion_events_to_be_backfilled:
             return False
 
+        extremities = {
+            **oldest_events_with_depth,
+            # TODO: insertion_events_to_be_backfilled is currently skipping the filtered_extremities checks
+            **insertion_events_to_be_backfilled,
+        }
+
         # Check if we reached a point where we should start backfilling.
         sorted_extremeties_tuple = sorted(extremities.items(), key=lambda e: -int(e[1]))
         max_depth = sorted_extremeties_tuple[0][1]
diff --git a/synapse/visibility.py b/synapse/visibility.py
index e4bd4b077d..c0d0a53c3c 100644
--- a/synapse/visibility.py
+++ b/synapse/visibility.py
@@ -367,20 +367,13 @@ async def filter_events_for_server(
             to_return = []
             for e in events:
                 erased = is_sender_erased(e, erased_senders)
-                logger.info(
-                    "filter_events_for_server: (all_open) %s erased=%s", e, erased
-                )
                 if not erased:
                     to_return.append(e)
                 elif redact:
                     to_return.append(prune_event(e))
 
-            logger.info("filter_events_for_server: (all_open) to_return=%s", to_return)
             return to_return
 
-        logger.info(
-            "filter_events_for_server: all_open and no erased senders %s", events
-        )
         # If there are no erased users then we can just return the given list
         # of events without having to copy it.
         return events
@@ -437,9 +430,6 @@ async def filter_events_for_server(
     for e in events:
         erased = is_sender_erased(e, erased_senders)
         visible = check_event_is_visible(e, event_to_state[e.event_id])
-        logger.info(
-            "filter_events_for_server: %s erased=%s visible=%s", e, erased, visible
-        )
         if visible and not erased:
             to_return.append(e)
         elif redact: