diff --git a/changelog.d/17231.bugfix b/changelog.d/17231.bugfix
index 322b79dc12..d09b455654 100644
--- a/changelog.d/17231.bugfix
+++ b/changelog.d/17231.bugfix
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Fixed presence results not returning offline users on initial sync. Contributed by @Michael-Hollister.
\ No newline at end of file
+Added configurable option to always include offline users in presence sync results. Contributed by @Michael-Hollister.
diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
index 2c917d1f8e..045d6acc55 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ Example configuration:
 ```yaml
 presence:
   enabled: false
+  include_offline_users_on_sync: false
 ```
 
 `enabled` can also be set to a special value of "untracked" which ignores updates
@@ -254,6 +255,10 @@ received via clients and federation, while still accepting updates from the
 
 *The "untracked" option was added in Synapse 1.96.0.*
 
+When clients perform an initial or `full_state` sync, presence results for offline users are
+not included by default. Setting `include_offline_users_on_sync` to `true` will always include
+offline users in the results. Defaults to false.
+
 ---
 ### `require_auth_for_profile_requests`
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/server.py b/synapse/config/server.py
index a2b2305776..f9d4287cee 100644
--- a/synapse/config/server.py
+++ b/synapse/config/server.py
@@ -384,6 +384,11 @@ def read_config(self, config: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         # Whether to internally track presence, requires that presence is enabled,
         self.track_presence = self.presence_enabled and presence_enabled != "untracked"
 
+        # Determines if presence results for offline users are included on initial/full sync
+        self.presence_include_offline_users_on_sync = presence_config.get(
+            "include_offline_users_on_sync", False
+        )
+
         # Custom presence router module
         # This is the legacy way of configuring it (the config should now be put in the modules section)
         self.presence_router_module_class = None
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
index 56da624895..f06f2d63b4 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -2281,13 +2281,20 @@ async def _generate_sync_entry_for_presence(
 
         since_token = sync_result_builder.since_token
         presence_key = None
+        include_offline = False
         if since_token and not sync_result_builder.full_state:
             presence_key = since_token.presence_key
+            include_offline = True
 
         presence, presence_key = await presence_source.get_new_events(
             user=user,
             from_key=presence_key,
             is_guest=sync_config.is_guest,
+            include_offline=(
+                True
+                if self.hs_config.server.presence_include_offline_users_on_sync
+                else include_offline
+            ),
         )
         assert presence_key
         sync_result_builder.now_token = now_token.copy_and_replace(
diff --git a/tests/module_api/test_api.py b/tests/module_api/test_api.py
index 1182343ddc..5eb1406a06 100644
--- a/tests/module_api/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/module_api/test_api.py
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ def _test_sending_local_online_presence_to_local_user(
     presence_updates, sync_token = sync_presence(
         test_case, test_case.presence_receiver_id
     )
-    test_case.assertEqual(len(presence_updates), 2)
+    test_case.assertEqual(len(presence_updates), 1)
 
     presence_update: UserPresenceState = presence_updates[0]
     test_case.assertEqual(presence_update.user_id, test_case.presence_sender_id)