diff --git a/synapse/storage/database.py b/synapse/storage/database.py

index b394a6658b..e881bff7fb 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/database.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/database.py
@@ -533,15 +533,14 @@ class DatabasePool:
         if isinstance(self.engine, Sqlite3Engine):
             self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables.add("user_directory_search")
 
-        if self.engine.can_native_upsert:
-            # Check ASAP (and then later, every 1s) to see if we have finished
-            # background updates of tables that aren't safe to update.
-            self._clock.call_later(
-                0.0,
-                run_as_background_process,
-                "upsert_safety_check",
-                self._check_safe_to_upsert,
-            )
+        # Check ASAP (and then later, every 1s) to see if we have finished
+        # background updates of tables that aren't safe to update.
+        self._clock.call_later(
+            0.0,
+            run_as_background_process,
+            "upsert_safety_check",
+            self._check_safe_to_upsert,
+        )
 
     def name(self) -> str:
         "Return the name of this database"
@@ -1160,11 +1159,8 @@ class DatabasePool:
         attempts = 0
         while True:
             try:
-                # We can autocommit if we are going to use native upserts
-                autocommit = (
-                    self.engine.can_native_upsert
-                    and table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables
-                )
+                # We can autocommit if it is safe to upsert
+                autocommit = table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables
 
                 return await self.runInteraction(
                     desc,
@@ -1199,7 +1195,7 @@ class DatabasePool:
     ) -> bool:
         """
         Pick the UPSERT method which works best on the platform. Either the
-        native one (Pg9.5+, recent SQLites), or fall back to an emulated method.
+        native one (Pg9.5+, SQLite >= 3.24), or fall back to an emulated method.
 
         Args:
             txn: The transaction to use.
@@ -1207,14 +1203,15 @@ class DatabasePool:
             keyvalues: The unique key tables and their new values
             values: The nonunique columns and their new values
             insertion_values: additional key/values to use only when inserting
-            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert.
+            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert. Unused when performing
+                a native upsert.
         Returns:
             Returns True if a row was inserted or updated (i.e. if `values` is
             not empty then this always returns True)
         """
         insertion_values = insertion_values or {}
 
-        if self.engine.can_native_upsert and table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables:
+        if table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables:
             return self.simple_upsert_txn_native_upsert(
                 txn, table, keyvalues, values, insertion_values=insertion_values
             )
@@ -1365,14 +1362,12 @@ class DatabasePool:
             value_names: The value column names
             value_values: A list of each row's value column values.
                 Ignored if value_names is empty.
-            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert. Unused if the database engine
-                supports native upserts.
+            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert. Unused when performing
+                a native upsert.
         """
 
-        # We can autocommit if we are going to use native upserts
-        autocommit = (
-            self.engine.can_native_upsert and table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables
-        )
+        # We can autocommit if it safe to upsert
+        autocommit = table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables
 
         await self.runInteraction(
             desc,
@@ -1406,10 +1401,10 @@ class DatabasePool:
             value_names: The value column names
             value_values: A list of each row's value column values.
                 Ignored if value_names is empty.
-            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert. Unused if the database engine
-                supports native upserts.
+            lock: True to lock the table when doing the upsert. Unused when performing
+                a native upsert.
         """
-        if self.engine.can_native_upsert and table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables:
+        if table not in self._unsafe_to_upsert_tables:
             return self.simple_upsert_many_txn_native_upsert(
                 txn, table, key_names, key_values, value_names, value_values
             )