diff --git a/synapse/handlers/profile.py b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
index a52b9f8ecf..c3886795b6 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
@@ -220,9 +220,7 @@ async def set_displayname(
         if not by_admin and target_user != requester.user:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's displayname")
 
-        if (
-            not by_admin and not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_displayname
-        ) and not (deactivation and new_displayname == ""):
+        if not by_admin and not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_displayname:
             profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
             if profile.display_name:
                 raise SynapseError(
@@ -333,9 +331,7 @@ async def set_avatar_url(
         if not by_admin and target_user != requester.user:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's avatar_url")
 
-        if (
-            not by_admin and not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_avatar_url
-        ) and not (deactivation and new_avatar_url == ""):
+        if not by_admin and not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_avatar_url:
             profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
             if profile.avatar_url:
                 raise SynapseError(
@@ -410,28 +406,6 @@ async def delete_profile_upon_deactivation(
             # have it.
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot remove another user's profile")
 
-        if not by_admin:
-            current_profile = await self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user)
-            if not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_displayname:
-                if current_profile.display_name:
-                    # SUSPICIOUS: It seems strange to block deactivation on this,
-                    # though this is preserving previous behaviour.
-                    raise SynapseError(
-                        400,
-                        "Changing display name is disabled on this server",
-                        Codes.FORBIDDEN,
-                    )
-
-            if not self.hs.config.registration.enable_set_avatar_url:
-                if current_profile.avatar_url:
-                    # SUSPICIOUS: It seems strange to block deactivation on this,
-                    # though this is preserving previous behaviour.
-                    raise SynapseError(
-                        400,
-                        "Changing avatar is disabled on this server",
-                        Codes.FORBIDDEN,
-                    )
-
         await self.store.delete_profile(target_user)
 
         await self._third_party_rules.on_profile_update(
diff --git a/tests/rest/client/test_account.py b/tests/rest/client/test_account.py
index 122002d55f..9b74e847ff 100644
--- a/tests/rest/client/test_account.py
+++ b/tests/rest/client/test_account.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 import synapse.rest.admin
 from synapse.api.constants import LoginType, Membership
-from synapse.api.errors import Codes, HttpResponseException
+from synapse.api.errors import Codes, HttpResponseException, SynapseError
 from synapse.appservice import ApplicationService
 from synapse.rest import admin
 from synapse.rest.client import account, login, register, room
@@ -515,20 +515,24 @@ def test_deactivate_erase_account(self) -> None:
                 user_id, create_requester(user_id), "http://test/Kermit.jpg"
             )
         )
-        self.erase(mxid, tok)
+        self.deactivate(mxid, tok, erase=True)
 
         store = self.hs.get_datastores().main
 
         # Check that the user has been marked as deactivated.
         self.assertTrue(self.get_success(store.get_user_deactivated_status(mxid)))
 
-        # On deactivation with 'erase', a displayname and avatar_url are set to an empty
-        # string through the handler, but are turned into `None` for the database
-        display_name = self.get_success(profile_handler.get_displayname(user_id))
-        assert display_name is None, f"{display_name}"
+        # On deactivation with 'erase', the entire database row is erased. Both of these
+        # should raise a 404(Not Found) SynapseError
+        display_name_failure = self.get_failure(
+            profile_handler.get_displayname(user_id), SynapseError
+        )
+        assert display_name_failure.value.code == HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND
 
-        avatar_url = self.get_success(profile_handler.get_avatar_url(user_id))
-        assert avatar_url is None, f"{avatar_url}"
+        avatar_url_failure = self.get_failure(
+            profile_handler.get_avatar_url(user_id), SynapseError
+        )
+        assert avatar_url_failure.value.code == HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND
 
         # Check that this access token has been invalidated.
         channel = self.make_request("GET", "account/whoami", access_token=tok)
@@ -558,18 +562,22 @@ def test_deactivate_erase_account_with_disabled_profile_changes(self) -> None:
         )
 
         # self.get_success(profile_handler.set_displayname(user_id, create_requester(user_id), ))
-        self.erase(mxid, tok)
+        self.deactivate(mxid, tok, erase=True)
 
         # Check that the user has been marked as deactivated.
         self.assertTrue(self.get_success(store.get_user_deactivated_status(mxid)))
 
-        # On deactivation with 'erase', a displayname and avatar_url are set to an empty
-        # string through the handler, but are turned into `None` for the database
-        display_name = self.get_success(profile_handler.get_displayname(user_id))
-        assert display_name is None, f"{display_name}"
+        # On deactivation with 'erase', the entire database row is erased. Both of these
+        # should raise a 404(Not Found) SynapseError
+        display_name_failure = self.get_failure(
+            profile_handler.get_displayname(user_id), SynapseError
+        )
+        assert display_name_failure.value.code == HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND
 
-        avatar_url = self.get_success(profile_handler.get_avatar_url(user_id))
-        assert avatar_url is None, f"{avatar_url}"
+        avatar_url_failure = self.get_failure(
+            profile_handler.get_avatar_url(user_id), SynapseError
+        )
+        assert avatar_url_failure.value.code == HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND
 
         # Check that this access token has been invalidated.
         channel = self.make_request("GET", "account/whoami", access_token=tok)
@@ -773,28 +781,14 @@ def test_background_update_deletes_deactivated_users_server_side_backup_keys(
         )
         self.assertEqual(len(res2), 4)
 
-    def deactivate(self, user_id: str, tok: str) -> None:
-        request_data = {
-            "auth": {
-                "type": "m.login.password",
-                "user": user_id,
-                "password": "test",
-            },
-            "erase": False,
-        }
-        channel = self.make_request(
-            "POST", "account/deactivate", request_data, access_token=tok
-        )
-        self.assertEqual(channel.code, 200, channel.json_body)
-
-    def erase(self, user_id: str, tok: str) -> None:
+    def deactivate(self, user_id: str, tok: str, erase: bool = False) -> None:
         request_data = {
             "auth": {
                 "type": "m.login.password",
                 "user": user_id,
                 "password": "test",
             },
-            "erase": True,
+            "erase": erase,
         }
         channel = self.make_request(
             "POST", "account/deactivate", request_data, access_token=tok