diff --git a/changelog.d/12745.bugfix b/changelog.d/12745.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1dc8d03a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/12745.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix DB performance regression introduced in v1.59.0rc2.
diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
index 3c3137fe6..0373af86c 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/stream.py
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ class StreamWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
                 WHERE room_id = ?
                     AND stream_ordering <= ?
                     AND NOT outlier
-                    AND rejections.reason IS NULL
+                    AND rejections.event_id IS NULL
                 ORDER BY stream_ordering DESC
                 LIMIT 1
             """