diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/deviceinbox.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/deviceinbox.py
index 8e1f24646efd..cad9597882b0 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/deviceinbox.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/deviceinbox.py
@@ -477,14 +477,11 @@ async def delete_messages_for_device(
                 log_kv({"message": "No changes in cache since last check"})
                 return 0
 
-        ROW_ID_LITERAL = "ctid" if isinstance(self.database_engine, PostgresEngine) else "rowid"
-
         def delete_messages_for_device_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> int:
             sql = (
-                f"DELETE FROM device_inbox WHERE {ROW_ID_LITERAL} IN ("
-                f"SELECT {ROW_ID_LITERAL} FROM device_inbox"
-                " WHERE user_id = ? AND device_id = ?"
-                " AND stream_id <= ?"
+                f"DELETE FROM device_inbox WHERE {self.database_engine.row_id_name} IN ("
+                f"SELECT {self.database_engine.row_id_name} FROM device_inbox"
+                " WHERE user_id = ? AND device_id = ? AND stream_id <= ?"
             )
             if limit:
                 sql += f" LIMIT {limit}"
diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/receipts.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/receipts.py
index 5ee5c7ad9f14..ba694bf2c0d6 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/receipts.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/receipts.py
@@ -939,11 +939,6 @@ async def _background_receipts_linearized_unique_index(
         receipts."""
 
         def _remote_duplicate_receipts_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> None:
-            if isinstance(self.database_engine, PostgresEngine):
-                ROW_ID_NAME = "ctid"
-            else:
-                ROW_ID_NAME = "rowid"
-
             # Identify any duplicate receipts arising from
             # https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/14406.
             # The following query takes less than a minute on matrix.org.
@@ -962,7 +957,7 @@ def _remote_duplicate_receipts_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> None:
             # `stream_id`, we delete by the ctid instead.
             for stream_id, room_id, receipt_type, user_id in duplicate_keys:
                 sql = f"""
-                SELECT {ROW_ID_NAME}
+                SELECT {self.database_engine.row_id_name}
                 FROM receipts_linearized
                 WHERE
                     room_id = ? AND
@@ -982,7 +977,7 @@ def _remote_duplicate_receipts_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> None:
                         receipt_type = ? AND
                         user_id = ? AND
                         thread_id IS NULL AND
-                        {ROW_ID_NAME} != ?
+                        {self.database_engine.row_id_name} != ?
                 """
                 txn.execute(sql, (room_id, receipt_type, user_id, row_id))
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py b/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py
index 0b5b3bf03e1a..b1a2418cbdea 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ def server_version(self) -> str:
         """Gets a string giving the server version. For example: '3.22.0'"""
         ...
 
+    @property
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def row_id_name(self) -> str:
+        """Gets the literal name representing a row id for this engine."""
+        ...
+
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def in_transaction(self, conn: ConnectionType) -> bool:
         """Whether the connection is currently in a transaction."""
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
index 05a72dc55435..6309363217a8 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
@@ -211,6 +211,10 @@ def server_version(self) -> str:
         else:
             return "%i.%i.%i" % (numver / 10000, (numver % 10000) / 100, numver % 100)
 
+    @property
+    def row_id_name(self) -> str:
+        return "ctid"
+
     def in_transaction(self, conn: psycopg2.extensions.connection) -> bool:
         return conn.status != psycopg2.extensions.STATUS_READY
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite.py b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite.py
index ca8c59297c42..802069e1e1cb 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite.py
@@ -123,6 +123,10 @@ def server_version(self) -> str:
         """Gets a string giving the server version. For example: '3.22.0'."""
         return "%i.%i.%i" % sqlite3.sqlite_version_info
 
+    @property
+    def row_id_name(self) -> str:
+        return "rowid"
+
     def in_transaction(self, conn: sqlite3.Connection) -> bool:
         return conn.in_transaction
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/main/delta/48/group_unique_indexes.py b/synapse/storage/schema/main/delta/48/group_unique_indexes.py
index ad2da4c8af84..622686d28f11 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/main/delta/48/group_unique_indexes.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/main/delta/48/group_unique_indexes.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 
 from synapse.storage.database import LoggingTransaction
-from synapse.storage.engines import BaseDatabaseEngine, PostgresEngine
+from synapse.storage.engines import BaseDatabaseEngine
 from synapse.storage.prepare_database import get_statements
 
 FIX_INDEXES = """
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 
 def run_create(cur: LoggingTransaction, database_engine: BaseDatabaseEngine) -> None:
-    rowid = "ctid" if isinstance(database_engine, PostgresEngine) else "rowid"
+    rowid = database_engine.row_id_name
 
     # remove duplicates from group_users & group_invites tables
     cur.execute(