diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/database/RealmQueryLatch.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/database/RealmQueryLatch.kt
index 2d386eac15..98544d46f7 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/database/RealmQueryLatch.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/database/RealmQueryLatch.kt
@@ -16,43 +16,36 @@
 
 package im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database
 
-import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.util.createBackgroundHandler
 import io.realm.*
-import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference
+import kotlinx.coroutines.*
 
-class RealmQueryLatch<E : RealmObject>(private val realmConfiguration: RealmConfiguration,
-                                       private val realmQueryBuilder: (Realm) -> RealmQuery<E>) {
+internal suspend fun <T> awaitNotEmptyResult(realmConfiguration: RealmConfiguration,
+                                    timeoutMillis: Long,
+                                    builder: (Realm) -> RealmQuery<T>) {
+    withTimeout(timeoutMillis) {
+        // Confine Realm interaction to a single thread with Looper.
+        withContext(Dispatchers.Main) {
+            val latch = CompletableDeferred<Unit>()
 
-    private companion object {
-        val QUERY_LATCH_HANDLER = createBackgroundHandler("REALM_QUERY_LATCH")
-    }
+            Realm.getInstance(realmConfiguration).use { realm ->
+                val result = builder(realm).findAllAsync()
 
-    @Throws(InterruptedException::class)
-    fun await(timeout: Long, timeUnit: TimeUnit) {
-        val realmRef = AtomicReference<Realm>()
-        val latch = CountDownLatch(1)
-        QUERY_LATCH_HANDLER.post {
-            val realm = Realm.getInstance(realmConfiguration)
-            realmRef.set(realm)
-            val result = realmQueryBuilder(realm).findAllAsync()
-            result.addChangeListener(object : RealmChangeListener<RealmResults<E>> {
-                override fun onChange(t: RealmResults<E>) {
-                    if (t.isNotEmpty()) {
-                        result.removeChangeListener(this)
-                        latch.countDown()
+                val listener = object : RealmChangeListener<RealmResults<T>> {
+                    override fun onChange(it: RealmResults<T>) {
+                        if (it.isNotEmpty()) {
+                            result.removeChangeListener(this)
+                            latch.complete(Unit)
+                        }
                     }
                 }
-            })
-        }
-        try {
-            latch.await(timeout, timeUnit)
-        } catch (exception: InterruptedException) {
-            throw exception
-        } finally {
-            QUERY_LATCH_HANDLER.post {
-                realmRef.getAndSet(null).close()
+
+                result.addChangeListener(listener)
+                try {
+                    latch.await()
+                } catch (e: CancellationException) {
+                    result.removeChangeListener(listener)
+                    throw e
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
index 9af8434b7c..970a1fed7e 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import com.zhuinden.monarchy.Monarchy
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.failure.CreateRoomFailure
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.create.CreateRoomParams
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.create.CreateRoomResponse
-import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.RealmQueryLatch
+import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.awaitNotEmptyResult
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.model.RoomEntity
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.model.RoomEntityFields
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.model.RoomSummaryEntity
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.session.user.accountdata.UpdateUserAcco
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.task.Task
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.util.awaitTransaction
 import io.realm.RealmConfiguration
+import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 import javax.inject.Inject
 
@@ -53,13 +54,12 @@ internal class DefaultCreateRoomTask @Inject constructor(private val roomAPI: Ro
         }
         val roomId = createRoomResponse.roomId!!
         // Wait for room to come back from the sync (but it can maybe be in the DB if the sync response is received before)
-        val rql = RealmQueryLatch<RoomEntity>(realmConfiguration) { realm ->
-            realm.where(RoomEntity::class.java)
-                    .equalTo(RoomEntityFields.ROOM_ID, roomId)
-        }
         try {
-            rql.await(timeout = 1L, timeUnit = TimeUnit.MINUTES)
-        } catch (exception: Exception) {
+            awaitNotEmptyResult(realmConfiguration, TimeUnit.MINUTES.toMillis(1L)) { realm ->
+                realm.where(RoomEntity::class.java)
+                        .equalTo(RoomEntityFields.ROOM_ID, roomId)
+            }
+        } catch (exception: TimeoutCancellationException) {
             throw CreateRoomFailure.CreatedWithTimeout
         }
         if (params.isDirect()) {
diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/membership/joining/JoinRoomTask.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/membership/joining/JoinRoomTask.kt
index 7304c09d57..fbede72520 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/membership/joining/JoinRoomTask.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/membership/joining/JoinRoomTask.kt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 package im.vector.matrix.android.internal.session.room.membership.joining
 
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.failure.JoinRoomFailure
-import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.RealmQueryLatch
+import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.awaitNotEmptyResult
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.model.RoomEntity
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.database.model.RoomEntityFields
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.di.SessionDatabase
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.session.room.RoomAPI
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.session.room.read.SetReadMarkersTask
 import im.vector.matrix.android.internal.task.Task
 import io.realm.RealmConfiguration
+import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 import javax.inject.Inject
 
@@ -46,18 +47,16 @@ internal class DefaultJoinRoomTask @Inject constructor(private val roomAPI: Room
         executeRequest<Unit> {
             apiCall = roomAPI.join(params.roomId, params.viaServers, mapOf("reason" to params.reason))
         }
-        val roomId = params.roomId
         // Wait for room to come back from the sync (but it can maybe be in the DB is the sync response is received before)
-        val rql = RealmQueryLatch<RoomEntity>(realmConfiguration) { realm ->
-            realm.where(RoomEntity::class.java)
-                    .equalTo(RoomEntityFields.ROOM_ID, roomId)
-        }
         try {
-            rql.await(timeout = 1L, timeUnit = TimeUnit.MINUTES)
-        } catch (exception: Exception) {
+            awaitNotEmptyResult(realmConfiguration, TimeUnit.MINUTES.toMillis(1L)) { realm ->
+                realm.where(RoomEntity::class.java)
+                        .equalTo(RoomEntityFields.ROOM_ID, params.roomId)
+            }
+        } catch (exception: TimeoutCancellationException) {
             throw JoinRoomFailure.JoinedWithTimeout
         }
-        setReadMarkers(roomId)
+        setReadMarkers(params.roomId)
     }
 
     private suspend fun setReadMarkers(roomId: String) {