diff --git a/synapse/handlers/profile.py b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
index be9d1d8c41..5ba6c257c7 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import logging
 from twisted.internet import defer, reactor
 
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError, AuthError, CodeMessageException
+from synapse.util.logcontext import run_in_background
 from synapse.types import UserID, get_domain_from_id
 from ._base import BaseHandler
 
@@ -205,8 +206,10 @@ class ProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
         if new_displayname == '':
             new_displayname = None
 
+        new_batchnum = (yield self.store.get_latest_profile_replication_batch_number()) + 1
+
         yield self.store.set_profile_displayname(
-            target_user.localpart, new_displayname
+            target_user.localpart, new_displayname, new_batchnum
         )
 
         if self.hs.config.user_directory_search_all_users:
@@ -217,6 +220,9 @@ class ProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         yield self._update_join_states(requester, target_user)
 
+        # start a profile replication push
+        run_in_background(self._replicate_profiles)
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_avatar_url(self, target_user):
         if self.hs.is_mine(target_user):
@@ -255,8 +261,10 @@ class ProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
         if not by_admin and target_user != requester.user:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's avatar_url")
 
+        new_batchnum = yield self.store.get_latest_profile_replication_batch_number() + 1
+
         yield self.store.set_profile_avatar_url(
-            target_user.localpart, new_avatar_url
+            target_user.localpart, new_avatar_url, new_batchnum,
         )
 
         if self.hs.config.user_directory_search_all_users:
@@ -267,6 +275,9 @@ class ProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         yield self._update_join_states(requester, target_user)
 
+        # start a profile replication push
+        run_in_background(self._replicate_profiles)
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_profile_query(self, args):
         user = UserID.from_string(args["user_id"])
diff --git a/synapse/storage/profile.py b/synapse/storage/profile.py
index cfc4a0606e..7b01f81d3d 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/profile.py
@@ -64,11 +64,14 @@ class ProfileStore(SQLBaseStore):
             desc="get_profile_displayname",
         )
 
-    def set_profile_displayname(self, user_localpart, new_displayname):
+    def set_profile_displayname(self, user_localpart, new_displayname, batchnum):
         return self._simple_update_one(
             table="profiles",
             keyvalues={"user_id": user_localpart},
-            updatevalues={"displayname": new_displayname},
+            updatevalues={
+                "displayname": new_displayname,
+                "batch": batchnum,
+            },
             desc="set_profile_displayname",
         )
 
@@ -80,11 +83,14 @@ class ProfileStore(SQLBaseStore):
             desc="get_profile_avatar_url",
         )
 
-    def set_profile_avatar_url(self, user_localpart, new_avatar_url):
+    def set_profile_avatar_url(self, user_localpart, new_avatar_url, batchnum):
         return self._simple_update_one(
             table="profiles",
             keyvalues={"user_id": user_localpart},
-            updatevalues={"avatar_url": new_avatar_url},
+            updatevalues={
+                "avatar_url": new_avatar_url,
+                "batch": batchnum,
+            },
             desc="set_profile_avatar_url",
         )