diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/account_data.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/account_data.py
index 006e3b584739..a720d620ee60 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/account_data.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/account_data.py
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 from synapse.storage.engines import PostgresEngine
 from synapse.storage.util.id_generators import (
     AbstractStreamIdGenerator,
-    AbstractStreamIdTracker,
     MultiWriterIdGenerator,
     StreamIdGenerator,
 )
@@ -63,14 +62,12 @@ def __init__(
     ):
         super().__init__(database, db_conn, hs)
 
-        # `_can_write_to_account_data` indicates whether the current worker is allowed
-        # to write account data. A value of `True` implies that `_account_data_id_gen`
-        # is an `AbstractStreamIdGenerator` and not just a tracker.
-        self._account_data_id_gen: AbstractStreamIdTracker
         self._can_write_to_account_data = (
             self._instance_name in hs.config.worker.writers.account_data
         )
 
+        self._account_data_id_gen: AbstractStreamIdGenerator
+
         if isinstance(database.engine, PostgresEngine):
             self._account_data_id_gen = MultiWriterIdGenerator(
                 db_conn=db_conn,
@@ -475,7 +472,6 @@ async def add_account_data_to_room(
             The maximum stream ID.
         """
         assert self._can_write_to_account_data
-        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
 
         content_json = json_encoder.encode(content)
 
@@ -514,7 +510,6 @@ async def remove_account_data_for_room(
             The maximum account data stream position.
         """
         assert self._can_write_to_account_data
-        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
 
         def _remove_account_data_for_room_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> Optional[int]:
             """
@@ -590,7 +585,6 @@ async def add_account_data_for_user(
             The maximum stream ID.
         """
         assert self._can_write_to_account_data
-        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
 
         async with self._account_data_id_gen.get_next() as next_id:
             await self.db_pool.runInteraction(
@@ -696,7 +690,6 @@ async def remove_account_data_for_user(
             The maximum account data stream position.
         """
         assert self._can_write_to_account_data
-        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
 
         def _remove_account_data_for_user_txn(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> Optional[int]:
             """