diff --git a/services/identity/src/database.rs b/services/identity/src/database.rs
--- a/services/identity/src/database.rs
+++ b/services/identity/src/database.rs
@@ -362,15 +362,21 @@
       &keyserver.device_id
     );
 
-    let notif_one_time_key: Option<String> = self
+    let (notif_one_time_key, requested_more_keys) = self
       .get_one_time_key(
         user_id,
         &keyserver.device_id,
         OlmAccountType::Notification,
+        true,
       )
       .await?;
-    let content_one_time_key: Option<String> = self
-      .get_one_time_key(user_id, &keyserver.device_id, OlmAccountType::Content)
+    let (content_one_time_key, _) = self
+      .get_one_time_key(
+        user_id,
+        &keyserver.device_id,
+        OlmAccountType::Content,
+        !requested_more_keys,
+      )
       .await?;
 
     debug!(
@@ -743,15 +749,22 @@
 
     if get_one_time_keys {
       for (device_id_key, device_keys) in devices_response.iter_mut() {
-        device_keys.notif_one_time_key = self
+        let requested_more_keys;
+        (device_keys.notif_one_time_key, requested_more_keys) = self
           .get_one_time_key(
             user_id,
             device_id_key,
             OlmAccountType::Notification,
+            true,
           )
           .await?;
-        device_keys.content_one_time_key = self
-          .get_one_time_key(user_id, device_id_key, OlmAccountType::Content)
+        (device_keys.content_one_time_key, _) = self
+          .get_one_time_key(
+            user_id,
+            device_id_key,
+            OlmAccountType::Content,
+            !requested_more_keys,
+          )
           .await?;
       }
     }
diff --git a/services/identity/src/database/one_time_keys.rs b/services/identity/src/database/one_time_keys.rs
--- a/services/identity/src/database/one_time_keys.rs
+++ b/services/identity/src/database/one_time_keys.rs
@@ -30,12 +30,16 @@
 impl DatabaseClient {
   /// Gets the next one-time key for the account and then, in a transaction,
   /// deletes the key and updates the key count
+  ///
+  /// Returns the retrieved one-time key if it exists and a boolean indicating
+  /// whether the `spawn_refresh_keys_task`` was called
   pub(super) async fn get_one_time_key(
     &self,
     user_id: &str,
     device_id: &str,
     account_type: OlmAccountType,
-  ) -> Result<Option<String>, Error> {
+    can_request_more_keys: bool,
+  ) -> Result<(Option<String>, bool), Error> {
     use crate::constants::devices_table;
     use crate::constants::one_time_keys_table as otk_table;
     use crate::constants::retry;
@@ -61,6 +65,9 @@
     // in `comm-lib` to handle transactions with retries
     let mut attempt = 0;
 
+    // TODO: Introduce nanny task that handles calling `spawn_refresh_keys_task`
+    let mut requested_more_keys = false;
+
     loop {
       attempt += 1;
       if attempt > retry::MAX_ATTEMPTS {
@@ -69,11 +76,12 @@
 
       let otk_count =
         self.get_otk_count(user_id, device_id, account_type).await?;
-      if otk_count < ONE_TIME_KEY_MINIMUM_THRESHOLD {
+      if otk_count < ONE_TIME_KEY_MINIMUM_THRESHOLD && can_request_more_keys {
         spawn_refresh_keys_task(device_id);
+        requested_more_keys = true;
       }
       if otk_count < 1 {
-        return Ok(None);
+        return Ok((None, requested_more_keys));
       }
 
       let query_result = self
@@ -131,7 +139,7 @@
         .await;
 
       match transaction {
-        Ok(_) => return Ok(Some(otk)),
+        Ok(_) => return Ok((Some(otk), requested_more_keys)),
         Err(e) => {
           let dynamo_db_error = DynamoDBError::from(e);
           let retryable_codes = HashSet::from([