diff --git a/crates/ide-db/src/apply_change.rs b/crates/ide-db/src/apply_change.rs
index 1a214ef0bf5..2b2df144d6d 100644
--- a/crates/ide-db/src/apply_change.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-db/src/apply_change.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ impl RootDatabase {
     pub fn request_cancellation(&mut self) {
         let _p =
             tracing::span!(tracing::Level::INFO, "RootDatabase::request_cancellation").entered();
-        self.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
+        self.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
     }
 
     pub fn apply_change(&mut self, change: Change) {
diff --git a/crates/salsa/salsa-macros/src/database_storage.rs b/crates/salsa/salsa-macros/src/database_storage.rs
index 0ec75bb043d..223da9b5290 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/salsa-macros/src/database_storage.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/salsa-macros/src/database_storage.rs
@@ -154,8 +154,8 @@ fn ops_salsa_runtime(&self) -> &salsa::Runtime {
                 self.#db_storage_field.salsa_runtime()
             }
 
-            fn ops_salsa_runtime_mut(&mut self) -> &mut salsa::Runtime {
-                self.#db_storage_field.salsa_runtime_mut()
+            fn synthetic_write(&mut self, durability: salsa::Durability) {
+                self.#db_storage_field.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(durability)
             }
 
             fn fmt_index(
diff --git a/crates/salsa/src/lib.rs b/crates/salsa/src/lib.rs
index 48b5d633bd6..98b3a48e37c 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/src/lib.rs
@@ -96,11 +96,16 @@ fn salsa_runtime(&self) -> &Runtime {
         self.ops_salsa_runtime()
     }
 
-    /// Gives access to the underlying salsa runtime.
+    /// A "synthetic write" causes the system to act *as though* some
+    /// input of durability `durability` has changed. This is mostly
+    /// useful for profiling scenarios.
     ///
-    /// This method should not be overridden by `Database` implementors.
-    fn salsa_runtime_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Runtime {
-        self.ops_salsa_runtime_mut()
+    /// **WARNING:** Just like an ordinary write, this method triggers
+    /// cancellation. If you invoke it while a snapshot exists, it
+    /// will block until that snapshot is dropped -- if that snapshot
+    /// is owned by the current thread, this could trigger deadlock.
+    fn synthetic_write(&mut self, durability: Durability) {
+        plumbing::DatabaseOps::synthetic_write(self, durability)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/salsa/src/plumbing.rs b/crates/salsa/src/plumbing.rs
index 71332e39cad..b8df87fd5e5 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/src/plumbing.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/src/plumbing.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,15 @@ pub trait DatabaseOps {
     /// Gives access to the underlying salsa runtime.
     fn ops_salsa_runtime(&self) -> &Runtime;
 
-    /// Gives access to the underlying salsa runtime.
-    fn ops_salsa_runtime_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Runtime;
+    /// A "synthetic write" causes the system to act *as though* some
+    /// input of durability `durability` has changed. This is mostly
+    /// useful for profiling scenarios.
+    ///
+    /// **WARNING:** Just like an ordinary write, this method triggers
+    /// cancellation. If you invoke it while a snapshot exists, it
+    /// will block until that snapshot is dropped -- if that snapshot
+    /// is owned by the current thread, this could trigger deadlock.
+    fn synthetic_write(&mut self, durability: Durability);
 
     /// Formats a database key index in a human readable fashion.
     fn fmt_index(
diff --git a/crates/salsa/tests/incremental/memoized_volatile.rs b/crates/salsa/tests/incremental/memoized_volatile.rs
index 6dc5030063b..3dcc32eece3 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/tests/incremental/memoized_volatile.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/tests/incremental/memoized_volatile.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ fn revalidate() {
 
     // Second generation: volatile will change (to 1) but memoized1
     // will not (still 0, as 1/2 = 0)
-    query.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
+    query.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
     query.memoized2();
     query.assert_log(&["Volatile invoked", "Memoized1 invoked"]);
     query.memoized2();
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ fn revalidate() {
     // Third generation: volatile will change (to 2) and memoized1
     // will too (to 1).  Therefore, after validating that Memoized1
     // changed, we now invoke Memoized2.
-    query.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
+    query.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
 
     query.memoized2();
     query.assert_log(&["Volatile invoked", "Memoized1 invoked", "Memoized2 invoked"]);
diff --git a/crates/salsa/tests/on_demand_inputs.rs b/crates/salsa/tests/on_demand_inputs.rs
index 5d0e4866442..677d633ee7c 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/tests/on_demand_inputs.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/tests/on_demand_inputs.rs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ fn on_demand_input_durability() {
         }
     "#]].assert_debug_eq(&events);
 
-    db.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
+    db.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW);
     events.replace(vec![]);
     assert_eq!(db.c(1), 10);
     assert_eq!(db.c(2), 20);
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ fn on_demand_input_durability() {
         }
     "#]].assert_debug_eq(&events);
 
-    db.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::HIGH);
+    db.synthetic_write(Durability::HIGH);
     events.replace(vec![]);
     assert_eq!(db.c(1), 10);
     assert_eq!(db.c(2), 20);
diff --git a/crates/salsa/tests/storage_varieties/tests.rs b/crates/salsa/tests/storage_varieties/tests.rs
index f75c7c142fe..8e2f9b03cb9 100644
--- a/crates/salsa/tests/storage_varieties/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/salsa/tests/storage_varieties/tests.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ fn volatile_twice() {
     let v2 = db.volatile(); // volatiles are cached, so 2nd read returns the same
     assert_eq!(v1, v2);
 
-    db.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW); // clears volatile caches
+    db.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW); // clears volatile caches
 
     let v3 = db.volatile(); // will re-increment the counter
     let v4 = db.volatile(); // second call will be cached
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ fn intermingled() {
     assert_eq!(v1, v3);
     assert_eq!(v2, v4);
 
-    db.salsa_runtime_mut().synthetic_write(Durability::LOW); // clears volatile caches
+    db.synthetic_write(Durability::LOW); // clears volatile caches
 
     let v5 = db.memoized(); // re-executes volatile, caches new result
     let v6 = db.memoized(); // re-use cached result