diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 271e2271f..59ff96763 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+Synapse 1.44.0rc2 (2021-09-30)
+==============================
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix a bug introduced in v1.44.0rc1 which caused the experimental [MSC2716](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2716) `/batch_send` endpoint to return a 500 error. ([\#10938](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10938))
+- Fix a bug introduced in v1.44.0rc1 which prevented sending presence events to application services. ([\#10944](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10944))
+
+
+Improved Documentation
+----------------------
+
+- Minor updates to the installation instructions. ([\#10919](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10919))
+
+
 Synapse 1.44.0rc1 (2021-09-29)
 ==============================
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/10919.doc b/changelog.d/10919.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index d0bddc3f1..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/10919.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Minor updates to the installation instructions.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 191bb97c5..b08a59278 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0~rc2) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New synapse release 1.44.0~rc2.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Thu, 30 Sep 2021 12:39:10 +0100
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.44.0~rc1.
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index a1fec8ad2..8791c20e2 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-__version__ = "1.44.0rc1"
+__version__ = "1.44.0rc2"
 
 if bool(os.environ.get("SYNAPSE_TEST_PATCH_LOG_CONTEXTS", False)):
     # We import here so that we don't have to install a bunch of deps when
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 47b7dd5a3..e9fdb2614 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -954,18 +954,13 @@ class EventCreationHandler:
             depth=depth,
         )
 
-        old_state = None
-
         # Pass on the outlier property from the builder to the event
         # after it is created
         if builder.internal_metadata.outlier:
-            event.internal_metadata.outlier = builder.internal_metadata.outlier
-
-            # Calculate the state for outliers that pass in their own `auth_event_ids`
-            if auth_event_ids:
-                old_state = await self.store.get_events_as_list(auth_event_ids)
-
-        context = await self.state.compute_event_context(event, old_state=old_state)
+            event.internal_metadata.outlier = True
+            context = EventContext.for_outlier()
+        else:
+            context = await self.state.compute_event_context(event)
 
         if requester:
             context.app_service = requester.app_service
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/presence.py b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
index 983c837c6..404afb940 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/presence.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ import synapse.metrics
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership, PresenceState
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
 from synapse.api.presence import UserPresenceState
+from synapse.appservice import ApplicationService
 from synapse.events.presence_router import PresenceRouter
 from synapse.logging.context import run_in_background
 from synapse.logging.utils import log_function
@@ -1521,10 +1522,11 @@ class PresenceEventSource(EventSource[int, UserPresenceState]):
         user: UserID,
         from_key: Optional[int],
         limit: Optional[int] = None,
-        room_ids: Optional[List[str]] = None,
+        room_ids: Optional[Collection[str]] = None,
         is_guest: bool = False,
         explicit_room_id: Optional[str] = None,
         include_offline: bool = True,
+        service: Optional[ApplicationService] = None,
     ) -> Tuple[List[UserPresenceState], int]:
         # The process for getting presence events are:
         #  1. Get the rooms the user is in.