diff --git a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
index 8798b213ec9..d2930988aee 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
         self.auto_purge = auto_purge
         self.keep_days = keep_days
         self.commit_interval = commit_interval
-        self.queue: Any = queue.Queue()
+        self.queue: Any = queue.SimpleQueue()
         self.recording_start = dt_util.utcnow()
         self.db_url = uri
         self.db_max_retries = db_max_retries
@@ -339,16 +339,13 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
             if event is None:
                 self._close_run()
                 self._close_connection()
-                self.queue.task_done()
                 return
             if isinstance(event, PurgeTask):
                 # Schedule a new purge task if this one didn't finish
                 if not purge.purge_old_data(self, event.keep_days, event.repack):
                     self.queue.put(PurgeTask(event.keep_days, event.repack))
-                self.queue.task_done()
                 continue
             if event.event_type == EVENT_TIME_CHANGED:
-                self.queue.task_done()
                 self._keepalive_count += 1
                 if self._keepalive_count >= KEEPALIVE_TIME:
                     self._keepalive_count = 0
@@ -360,13 +357,11 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
                         self._commit_event_session_or_retry()
                 continue
             if event.event_type in self.exclude_t:
-                self.queue.task_done()
                 continue
 
             entity_id = event.data.get(ATTR_ENTITY_ID)
             if entity_id is not None:
                 if not self.entity_filter(entity_id):
-                    self.queue.task_done()
                     continue
 
             try:
@@ -409,8 +404,6 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
             if not self.commit_interval:
                 self._commit_event_session_or_retry()
 
-            self.queue.task_done()
-
     def _send_keep_alive(self):
         try:
             _LOGGER.debug("Sending keepalive")
@@ -493,8 +486,19 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
         self.queue.put(event)
 
     def block_till_done(self):
-        """Block till all events processed."""
-        self.queue.join()
+        """Block till all events processed.
+
+        This is only called in tests.
+
+        This only blocks until the queue is empty
+        which does not mean the recorder is done.
+
+        Call tests.common's wait_recording_done
+        after calling this to ensure the data
+        is in the database.
+        """
+        while not self.queue.empty():
+            time.sleep(0.025)
 
     def _setup_connection(self):
         """Ensure database is ready to fly."""
diff --git a/tests/components/recorder/test_purge.py b/tests/components/recorder/test_purge.py
index 93fb6e51621..a93e3537905 100644
--- a/tests/components/recorder/test_purge.py
+++ b/tests/components/recorder/test_purge.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ from homeassistant.components.recorder.purge import purge_old_data
 from homeassistant.components.recorder.util import session_scope
 from homeassistant.util import dt as dt_util
 
+from .common import wait_recording_done
+
 from tests.async_mock import patch
 from tests.common import get_test_home_assistant, init_recorder_component
 
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.hass.block_till_done()
         self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+        wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
         with recorder.session_scope(hass=self.hass) as session:
             for event_id in range(6):
@@ -72,6 +75,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.hass.block_till_done()
         self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+        wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
         with recorder.session_scope(hass=self.hass) as session:
             for event_id in range(6):
@@ -103,6 +107,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.hass.block_till_done()
         self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+        wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
         with recorder.session_scope(hass=self.hass) as session:
             for rec_id in range(6):
@@ -183,6 +188,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
             assert recorder_runs.count() == 7
 
             self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+            wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
             # run purge method - no service data, use defaults
             self.hass.services.call("recorder", "purge")
@@ -190,6 +196,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
 
             # Small wait for recorder thread
             self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+            wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
             # only purged old events
             assert states.count() == 4
@@ -201,6 +208,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
 
             # Small wait for recorder thread
             self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+            wait_recording_done(self.hass)
 
             # we should only have 2 states left after purging
             assert states.count() == 2
@@ -223,6 +231,7 @@ class TestRecorderPurge(unittest.TestCase):
                 self.hass.services.call("recorder", "purge", service_data=service_data)
                 self.hass.block_till_done()
                 self.hass.data[DATA_INSTANCE].block_till_done()
+                wait_recording_done(self.hass)
                 assert (
                     mock_logger.debug.mock_calls[5][1][0]
                     == "Vacuuming SQL DB to free space"