diff --git a/tests/storage/test_event_stats.py b/tests/storage/test_event_stats.py
index a289e31963..8ce69723b8 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_event_stats.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_event_stats.py
@@ -14,17 +14,23 @@ import logging
 import time
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
-from twisted.internet.defer import ensureDeferred
 from twisted.test.proto_helpers import MemoryReactor
+from twisted.internet import defer
 
+from synapse.logging.context import defer_to_thread
 from synapse.rest import admin, login, register, room
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.storage.database import (
     LoggingTransaction,
 )
-from synapse.logging.context import defer_to_thread, preserve_fn, run_in_background
 from synapse.types.storage import _BackgroundUpdates
 from synapse.util import Clock
+from synapse.logging.context import (
+    PreserveLoggingContext,
+    make_deferred_yieldable,
+    run_coroutine_in_background,
+    run_in_background,
+)
 
 from tests import unittest
 from tests.replication._base import BaseMultiWorkerStreamTestCase
@@ -183,11 +189,15 @@ class EventStatsTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             # We need to return something, so we return None.
             return None
 
-        def asdf() -> None:
-            self.get_success(self.store.db_pool.runInteraction("test", _todo_txn))
+        # def asdf() -> None:
+        #     self.get_success(self.store.db_pool.runInteraction("test", _todo_txn))
 
         # Start a transaction that is interacting with the `event_stats` table
-        start_txn = defer_to_thread(self.reactor, asdf)
+        # start_txn = defer_to_thread(self.reactor, asdf)
+
+        start_txn = run_in_background(
+            self.store.db_pool.runInteraction, "test", _todo_txn
+        )
 
         logger.info("asdf1")
         _event_response = self.get_success(
@@ -381,7 +391,7 @@ class EventStatsConcurrentEventsTestCase(BaseMultiWorkerStreamTestCase):
             {"worker_name": "worker1"},
         )
 
-        self.make_worker_hs(
+        worker_hs2 = self.make_worker_hs(
             "synapse.app.generic_worker",
             {"worker_name": "worker2"},
         )
@@ -417,19 +427,17 @@ class EventStatsConcurrentEventsTestCase(BaseMultiWorkerStreamTestCase):
             # We need to return something, so we return None.
             return None
 
-        def asdf() -> None:
-            worker1_store = worker_hs1.get_datastores().main
-            self.get_success(worker1_store.db_pool.runInteraction("test", _todo_txn))
-
         # Start a transaction that is interacting with the `event_stats` table
-        start_txn = defer_to_thread(self.reactor, asdf)
-
-        logger.info("asdf1")
-        _event_response = self.get_success(
-            defer_to_thread(
-                self.reactor, self.helper.send, room_id1, "activity", tok=user1_tok
-            )
+        #
+        # Try from worker2 which may have it's own thread pool.
+        worker2_store = worker_hs2.get_datastores().main
+        start_txn = run_in_background(
+            worker2_store.db_pool.runInteraction, "test", _todo_txn
         )
+
+        # Then in room1 (handled by worker1) we send an event.
+        logger.info("asdf1")
+        _event_response = self.helper.send(room_id1, "activity", tok=user1_tok)
         logger.info("asdf2")
 
         block = False