diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index c625e4d56..347aae8f6 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-Synapse 1.59.0rc1 (2022-05-10)
+Synapse 1.59.0rc2 (2022-05-16)
 ==============================
 
-This release makes several changes that server administrators should be aware of:
+Synapse 1.59 makes several changes that server administrators should be aware of:
 
 - Device name lookup over federation is now disabled by default. ([\#12616](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/12616))
 - The `synapse.app.appservice` and `synapse.app.user_dir` worker application types are now deprecated. ([\#12452](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/12452), [\#12654](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/12654))
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ See [the upgrade notes](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/blob/develop/docs/
 
 Additionally, this release removes the non-standard `m.login.jwt` login type from Synapse. It can be replaced with `org.matrix.login.jwt` for identical behaviour. This is only used if `jwt_config.enabled` is set to `true` in the configuration. ([\#12597](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/12597))
 
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.58.0 where `/sync` would fail if the most recent event in a room was rejected. ([\#12729](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/12729))
+
+
+Synapse 1.59.0rc1 (2022-05-10)
+==============================
+
 Features
 --------
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index fabc690ba..7f9bedd7a 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.59.0~rc2) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New Synapse release 1.59.0rc2.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Mon, 16 May 2022 12:52:15 +0100
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.59.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * Adjust how the `exported-requirements.txt` file is generated as part of
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e3d81ae5f..1a2ddddb1 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ skip_gitignore = true
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "matrix-synapse"
-version = "1.59.0rc1"
+version = "1.59.0rc2"
 description = "Homeserver for the Matrix decentralised comms protocol"
 authors = ["Matrix.org Team and Contributors <packages@matrix.org>"]
 license = "Apache-2.0"
diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
index 59bbca2e3..944e2a5b0 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
@@ -743,14 +743,17 @@ class StreamWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         """
 
         def _f(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> Optional[Tuple[int, int, str]]:
-            sql = (
-                "SELECT stream_ordering, topological_ordering, event_id"
-                " FROM events"
-                " WHERE room_id = ? AND stream_ordering <= ?"
-                " AND NOT outlier"
-                " ORDER BY stream_ordering DESC"
-                " LIMIT 1"
-            )
+            sql = """
+                SELECT stream_ordering, topological_ordering, event_id
+                FROM events
+                LEFT JOIN rejections USING (event_id)
+                WHERE room_id = ?
+                    AND stream_ordering <= ?
+                    AND NOT outlier
+                    AND rejections.reason IS NULL
+                ORDER BY stream_ordering DESC
+                LIMIT 1
+            """
             txn.execute(sql, (room_id, stream_ordering))
             return cast(Optional[Tuple[int, int, str]], txn.fetchone())