diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sliding_sync/extensions.py b/synapse/handlers/sliding_sync/extensions.py
index 6ca4738ae5..f18f01219f 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sliding_sync/extensions.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sliding_sync/extensions.py
@@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ class SlidingSyncExtensionHandler:
             # We set no limit here because the client can control when they get sticky events.
             # Furthermore, it doesn't seem possible to set a limit with the internal API shape
             # as given, as we cannot manipulate the to_token.sticky_events_key sent to the client...
-            limit=0,
+            limit=None,
         )
         all_sticky_event_ids = {
             ev_id for evs in room_to_event_ids.values() for ev_id in evs
diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/sticky_events.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/sticky_events.py
index 16a1fb1bf2..7d968fd7c2 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/sticky_events.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/sticky_events.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class StickyEventsWorkerStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStor
         from_id: int,
         to_id: int,
         now: int,
-        limit: int,
+        limit: int | None,
     ) -> tuple[int, dict[str, set[str]]]:
         """
         Fetch all the sticky events in the given rooms, from the given sticky stream ID.
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ class StickyEventsWorkerStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStor
             from_id: The sticky stream ID that sticky events should be returned from (exclusive).
             to_id: The sticky stream ID that sticky events should end at (inclusive).
             now: The current time in unix millis, used for skipping expired events.
-            limit: Max sticky events to return. If <= 0, no limit is applied.
+            limit: Max sticky events to return, or None to apply no limit.
         Returns:
-            A tuple of (to_id, map[room_id, event_ids])
+            to_id, map[room_id, event_ids]
         """
         sticky_events_rows = await self.db_pool.runInteraction(
             "get_sticky_events_in_rooms",
@@ -146,13 +146,19 @@ class StickyEventsWorkerStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStor
             now,
             limit,
         )
-        new_to_id = from_id
+
+        if not sticky_events_rows:
+            return from_id, {}
+
+        # Get stream_id of the last row, which is the highest
+        new_to_id, _, _ = sticky_events_rows[-1]
+
+        # room ID -> event IDs
         room_to_events: dict[str, set[str]] = {}
-        for stream_id, room_id, event_id in sticky_events_rows:
-            new_to_id = max(new_to_id, stream_id)
-            events = room_to_events.get(room_id, set())
+        for _, room_id, event_id in sticky_events_rows:
+            events = room_to_events.setdefault(room_id, set())
             events.add(event_id)
-            room_to_events[room_id] = events
+
         return (new_to_id, room_to_events)
 
     def _get_sticky_events_in_rooms_txn(
@@ -162,23 +168,33 @@ class StickyEventsWorkerStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStor
         from_id: int,
         to_id: int,
         now: int,
-        limit: int,
+        limit: int | None,
     ) -> list[tuple[int, str, str]]:
         if len(room_ids) == 0:
             return []
-        clause, room_id_values = make_in_list_sql_clause(
+        room_id_in_list_clause, room_id_in_list_values = make_in_list_sql_clause(
             txn.database_engine, "room_id", room_ids
         )
-        query = f"""
-            SELECT stream_id, room_id, event_id FROM sticky_events
-            WHERE soft_failed != ? AND expires_at > ? AND stream_id > ? AND stream_id <= ? AND {clause}
+        limit_clause = ""
+        limit_params: tuple[int, ...] = ()
+        if limit is not None:
+            limit_clause = "LIMIT ?"
+            limit_params = (limit,)
+        txn.execute(
+            f"""
+            SELECT stream_id, room_id, event_id
+            FROM sticky_events
+            WHERE
+                NOT soft_failed
+                AND expires_at > ?
+                AND stream_id > ?
+                AND stream_id <= ?
+                AND {room_id_in_list_clause}
             ORDER BY stream_id ASC
-            """
-        params = (True, now, from_id, to_id, *room_id_values)
-        if limit > 0:
-            query += "LIMIT ?"
-            params += (limit,)
-        txn.execute(query, params)
+            {limit_clause}
+            """,
+            (now, from_id, to_id, *room_id_in_list_values, *limit_params),
+        )
         return cast(list[tuple[int, str, str]], txn.fetchall())
 
     async def get_updated_sticky_events(