diff --git a/bridgev2/errors.go b/bridgev2/errors.go
index a6cf4ceb..c39f8707 100644
--- a/bridgev2/errors.go
+++ b/bridgev2/errors.go
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ var ErrNotLoggedIn = errors.New("not logged in")
 // but direct media is not enabled.
 var ErrDirectMediaNotEnabled = errors.New("direct media is not enabled")
 
+var ErrPortalIsDeleted = errors.New("portal is deleted")
+
 // Common message status errors
 var (
 	ErrPanicInEventHandler              error = WrapErrorInStatus(errors.New("panic in event handler")).WithSendNotice(true).WithErrorAsMessage()
diff --git a/bridgev2/portal.go b/bridgev2/portal.go
index 7ca3ffab..273b1fd3 100644
--- a/bridgev2/portal.go
+++ b/bridgev2/portal.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ type Portal struct {
 	functionalMembersCache *event.ElementFunctionalMembersContent
 
 	events  chan portalEvent
-	deleted bool
+	deleted *exsync.Event
 
 	eventsLock sync.Mutex
 	eventIdx   int
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ func (br *Bridge) loadPortal(ctx context.Context, dbPortal *database.Portal, que
 		outgoingMessages:      make(map[networkid.TransactionID]*outgoingMessage),
 
 		RoomCreated: exsync.NewEvent(),
+		deleted:     exsync.NewEvent(),
 	}
 	if portal.MXID != "" {
 		portal.RoomCreated.Set()
@@ -335,6 +336,9 @@ func (br *Bridge) GetExistingPortalByKey(ctx context.Context, key networkid.Port
 }
 
 func (portal *Portal) queueEvent(ctx context.Context, evt portalEvent) EventHandlingResult {
+	if portal.deleted.IsSet() {
+		return EventHandlingResultIgnored
+	}
 	if PortalEventBuffer == 0 {
 		portal.eventsLock.Lock()
 		defer portal.eventsLock.Unlock()
@@ -347,6 +351,8 @@ func (portal *Portal) queueEvent(ctx context.Context, evt portalEvent) EventHand
 		select {
 		case portal.events <- evt:
 			return EventHandlingResultQueued
+		case <-portal.deleted.GetChan():
+			return EventHandlingResultIgnored
 		default:
 			zerolog.Ctx(ctx).Error().
 				Str("portal_id", string(portal.ID)).
@@ -371,16 +377,16 @@ func (portal *Portal) eventLoop() {
 		go portal.pendingMessageTimeoutLoop(ctx, cfg)
 		defer cancel()
 	}
-	i := 0
-	for rawEvt := range portal.events {
-		if portal.deleted {
-			return
-		}
-		i++
-		if portal.Bridge.Config.AsyncEvents {
-			go portal.handleSingleEventWithDelayLogging(i, rawEvt)
-		} else {
-			portal.handleSingleEventWithDelayLogging(i, rawEvt)
+	deleteCh := portal.deleted.GetChan()
+	for i := 0; ; i++ {
+		select {
+		case rawEvt := <-portal.events:
+			if portal.Bridge.Config.AsyncEvents {
+				go portal.handleSingleEventWithDelayLogging(i, rawEvt)
+			} else {
+				portal.handleSingleEventWithDelayLogging(i, rawEvt)
+			}
+		case <-deleteCh:
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -4902,6 +4908,9 @@ func (portal *Portal) CreateMatrixRoom(ctx context.Context, source *UserLogin, i
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
+	if portal.deleted.IsSet() {
+		return ErrPortalIsDeleted
+	}
 	waiter := make(chan struct{})
 	closed := false
 	evt := &portalCreateEvent{
@@ -4919,7 +4928,11 @@ func (portal *Portal) CreateMatrixRoom(ctx context.Context, source *UserLogin, i
 	if PortalEventBuffer == 0 {
 		go portal.queueEvent(ctx, evt)
 	} else {
-		portal.events <- evt
+		select {
+		case portal.events <- evt:
+		case <-portal.deleted.GetChan():
+			return ErrPortalIsDeleted
+		}
 	}
 	select {
 	case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -5245,11 +5258,11 @@ func (portal *Portal) unlockedDeleteCache() {
 	if portal.MXID != "" {
 		delete(portal.Bridge.portalsByMXID, portal.MXID)
 	}
+	portal.deleted.Set()
 	if portal.events != nil {
 		// TODO there's a small risk of this racing with a queueEvent call
 		close(portal.events)
 	}
-	portal.deleted = true
 }
 
 func (portal *Portal) Save(ctx context.Context) error {