diff --git a/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py b/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
index 848cd3a0d5..1f90b0d278 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 from synapse.api.errors import CodeMessageException, SynapseError
 from synapse.logging.context import make_deferred_yieldable, run_in_background
 from synapse.types import UserID, get_domain_from_id
+from synapse.util import unwrapFirstError
 from synapse.util.retryutils import NotRetryingDestination
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ class E2eKeysHandler(object):
                     for destination in remote_queries_not_in_cache
                 ],
                 consumeErrors=True,
-            )
+            ).addErrback(unwrapFirstError)
         )
 
         return {"device_keys": results, "failures": failures}