diff --git a/src/store/indexeddb-local-backend.js b/src/store/indexeddb-local-backend.js
index 2488341f7..5500fd95a 100644
--- a/src/store/indexeddb-local-backend.js
+++ b/src/store/indexeddb-local-backend.js
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ const LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend = function LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend(
     this.indexedDB = indexedDBInterface;
     this._dbName = "matrix-js-sdk:" + (dbName || "default");
     this.db = null;
+    this._disconnected = true;
     this._syncAccumulator = new SyncAccumulator();
 };
 
@@ -112,13 +113,15 @@ LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend.prototype = {
      * @return {Promise} Resolves if successfully connected.
      */
     connect: function() {
-        if (this.db) {
+        if (!this._disconnected) {
             console.log(
-                `LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend.connect: already connected`,
+                `LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend.connect: already connected or connecting`,
             );
             return Promise.resolve();
         }
 
+        this._disconnected = false;
+
         console.log(
             `LocalIndexedDBStoreBackend.connect: connecting`,
         );