diff --git a/.ci/scripts/test_synapse_port_db.sh b/.ci/scripts/test_synapse_port_db.sh
index 2b4e5ec1707d..50115b3079a8 100755
--- a/.ci/scripts/test_synapse_port_db.sh
+++ b/.ci/scripts/test_synapse_port_db.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ python -m synapse.app.homeserver --generate-keys -c .ci/sqlite-config.yaml
 echo "--- Prepare test database"
 
 # Make sure the SQLite3 database is using the latest schema and has no pending background update.
-scripts-dev/update_database --database-config .ci/sqlite-config.yaml
+scripts/update_synapse_database --database-config .ci/sqlite-config.yaml --run-background-updates
 
 # Create the PostgreSQL database.
 .ci/scripts/postgres_exec.py "CREATE DATABASE synapse"
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ echo "--- Prepare empty SQLite database"
 # we do this by deleting the sqlite db, and then doing the same again.
 rm .ci/test_db.db
 
-scripts-dev/update_database --database-config .ci/sqlite-config.yaml
+scripts/update_synapse_database --database-config .ci/sqlite-config.yaml --run-background-updates
 
 # re-create the PostgreSQL database.
 .ci/scripts/postgres_exec.py \
diff --git a/changelog.d/10954.feature b/changelog.d/10954.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..94dfa7175c31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/10954.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Include an `update_synapse_database` script in the distribution. Contributed by @Fizzadar at Beeper.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 9e878fbc2da3..8e80c78ee7a0 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0~rc2+nmu1) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  [ Nick @ Beeper ]
+  * Include an `update_synapse_database` script in the distribution.
+
+ -- root <root@f7b8a71098d3>  Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:29:26 +0000
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.44.0.
diff --git a/debian/matrix-synapse-py3.links b/debian/matrix-synapse-py3.links
index 53e29654187a..7eeba180d903 100644
--- a/debian/matrix-synapse-py3.links
+++ b/debian/matrix-synapse-py3.links
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/register_new_matrix_user usr/bin/register_new_matri
 opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/synapse_port_db usr/bin/synapse_port_db
 opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/synapse_review_recent_signups usr/bin/synapse_review_recent_signups
 opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/synctl usr/bin/synctl
+opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/update_synapse_database usr/bin/update_synapse_database
diff --git a/scripts-dev/lint.sh b/scripts-dev/lint.sh
index 809eff166ab2..b6554a73c115 100755
--- a/scripts-dev/lint.sh
+++ b/scripts-dev/lint.sh
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ else
           "scripts/hash_password"
           "scripts/register_new_matrix_user"
           "scripts/synapse_port_db"
+          "scripts/update_synapse_database"
           "scripts-dev"
           "scripts-dev/build_debian_packages"
           "scripts-dev/sign_json"
-          "scripts-dev/update_database"
           "contrib" "synctl" "setup.py" "synmark" "stubs" ".ci"
       )
   fi
diff --git a/scripts-dev/make_full_schema.sh b/scripts-dev/make_full_schema.sh
index 39bf30d258bd..c3c90f4ec637 100755
--- a/scripts-dev/make_full_schema.sh
+++ b/scripts-dev/make_full_schema.sh
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ python -m synapse.app.homeserver --generate-keys -c "$SQLITE_CONFIG"
 
 # Make sure the SQLite3 database is using the latest schema and has no pending background update.
 echo "Running db background jobs..."
-scripts-dev/update_database --database-config "$SQLITE_CONFIG"
+scripts/update_synapse_database --database-config --run-background-updates "$SQLITE_CONFIG"
 
 # Create the PostgreSQL database.
 echo "Creating postgres database..."
diff --git a/scripts-dev/update_database b/scripts/update_synapse_database
similarity index 86%
rename from scripts-dev/update_database
rename to scripts/update_synapse_database
index 87f709b6ed43..26b29b0b4593 100755
--- a/scripts-dev/update_database
+++ b/scripts/update_synapse_database
@@ -42,10 +42,29 @@ class MockHomeserver(HomeServer):
         self.version_string = "Synapse/" + get_version_string(synapse)
 
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
+def run_background_updates(hs):
+    store = hs.get_datastore()
+
+    async def run_background_updates():
+        await store.db_pool.updates.run_background_updates(sleep=False)
+        # Stop the reactor to exit the script once every background update is run.
+        reactor.stop()
+
+    def run():
+        # Apply all background updates on the database.
+        defer.ensureDeferred(
+            run_as_background_process("background_updates", run_background_updates)
+        )
+
+    reactor.callWhenRunning(run)
+
+    reactor.run()
+
+
+def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
         description=(
-            "Updates a synapse database to the latest schema and runs background updates"
+            "Updates a synapse database to the latest schema and optionally runs background updates"
             " on it."
         )
     )
@@ -54,7 +73,13 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         "--database-config",
         type=argparse.FileType("r"),
         required=True,
-        help="A database config file for either a SQLite3 database or a PostgreSQL one.",
+        help="Synapse configuration file, giving the details of the database to be updated",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--run-background-updates",
+        action="store_true",
+        required=False,
+        help="run background updates after upgrading the database schema",
     )
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
@@ -82,19 +107,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     # Setup instantiates the store within the homeserver object and updates the
     # DB.
     hs.setup()
-    store = hs.get_datastore()
 
-    async def run_background_updates():
-        await store.db_pool.updates.run_background_updates(sleep=False)
-        # Stop the reactor to exit the script once every background update is run.
-        reactor.stop()
+    if args.run_background_updates:
+        run_background_updates(hs)
 
-    def run():
-        # Apply all background updates on the database.
-        defer.ensureDeferred(
-            run_as_background_process("background_updates", run_background_updates)
-        )
 
-    reactor.callWhenRunning(run)
-
-    reactor.run()
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 5a62ec76c23f..cfe6a0694269 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ lint_targets =
     scripts/hash_password
     scripts/register_new_matrix_user
     scripts/synapse_port_db
+    scripts/update_synapse_database
     scripts-dev
     scripts-dev/build_debian_packages
     scripts-dev/sign_json
-    scripts-dev/update_database
     stubs
     contrib
     synctl