diff --git a/changelog.d/11255.bugfix b/changelog.d/11255.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ce7259262439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/11255.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix rolling back Synapse version when using workers.
diff --git a/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py b/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
index 1629d2a53c2c..b5c1c14ee3d1 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
@@ -133,22 +133,23 @@ def prepare_database(
 
             # if it's a worker app, refuse to upgrade the database, to avoid multiple
             # workers doing it at once.
-            if (
-                config.worker.worker_app is not None
-                and version_info.current_version != SCHEMA_VERSION
-            ):
+            if config.worker.worker_app is None:
+                _upgrade_existing_database(
+                    cur,
+                    version_info,
+                    database_engine,
+                    config,
+                    databases=databases,
+                )
+            elif version_info.current_version < SCHEMA_VERSION:
+                # If the DB is on an older version than we expect the we refuse
+                # to start the worker (as the main process needs to run first to
+                # update the schema).
                 raise UpgradeDatabaseException(
                     OUTDATED_SCHEMA_ON_WORKER_ERROR
                     % (SCHEMA_VERSION, version_info.current_version)
                 )
 
-            _upgrade_existing_database(
-                cur,
-                version_info,
-                database_engine,
-                config,
-                databases=databases,
-            )
         else:
             logger.info("%r: Initialising new database", databases)
 
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_rollback_worker.py b/tests/storage/test_rollback_worker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a6be9a1bb184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/storage/test_rollback_worker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# Copyright 2021 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+from synapse.app.generic_worker import GenericWorkerServer
+from synapse.storage.database import LoggingDatabaseConnection
+from synapse.storage.prepare_database import PrepareDatabaseException, prepare_database
+from synapse.storage.schema import SCHEMA_VERSION
+
+from tests.unittest import HomeserverTestCase
+
+
+class WorkerSchemaTests(HomeserverTestCase):
+    def make_homeserver(self, reactor, clock):
+        hs = self.setup_test_homeserver(
+            federation_http_client=None, homeserver_to_use=GenericWorkerServer
+        )
+        return hs
+
+    def default_config(self):
+        conf = super().default_config()
+
+        # Mark this as a worker app.
+        conf["worker_app"] = "yes"
+
+        return conf
+
+    def test_rolling_back(self):
+        """Test that workers can start if the DB is a newer schema version"""
+
+        db_pool = self.hs.get_datastore().db_pool
+        db_conn = LoggingDatabaseConnection(
+            db_pool._db_pool.connect(),
+            db_pool.engine,
+            "tests",
+        )
+
+        cur = db_conn.cursor()
+        cur.execute("UPDATE schema_version SET version = ?", (SCHEMA_VERSION + 1,))
+
+        db_conn.commit()
+
+        prepare_database(db_conn, db_pool.engine, self.hs.config)
+
+    def test_not_upgraded(self):
+        """Test that workers don't start if the DB has an older schema version"""
+        db_pool = self.hs.get_datastore().db_pool
+        db_conn = LoggingDatabaseConnection(
+            db_pool._db_pool.connect(),
+            db_pool.engine,
+            "tests",
+        )
+
+        cur = db_conn.cursor()
+        cur.execute("UPDATE schema_version SET version = ?", (SCHEMA_VERSION - 1,))
+
+        db_conn.commit()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(PrepareDatabaseException):
+            prepare_database(db_conn, db_pool.engine, self.hs.config)