diff --git a/plugins/research_sync/controller.ts b/plugins/research_sync/controller.ts
index add05517..a617b2c1 100644
--- a/plugins/research_sync/controller.ts
+++ b/plugins/research_sync/controller.ts
@@ -86,16 +86,25 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 		return controller.instances.get(src.id)?.config.get("instance.name") ?? String(src.id);
 	}
 
-	// Removes one entry per level that finished
-	function removeFinished(name: string, levels = 1) {
+	// Removes one entry per level that finished, returns whether any was removed
+	function removeFinished(name: string, levels = 1): boolean {
+		let removed = false;
 		for (let i = 0; i < levels; i++) {
 			let index = queue.indexOf(name);
 			if (index === -1) {
-				return;
+				break;
 			}
 			queue.splice(index, 1);
 			queueDirty = true;
+			removed = true;
 		}
+		return removed;
+	}
+
+	// Instances only advance the technology on a finish, so they need the queue without it.
+	// No player or instance: the finished research prints its own chat line.
+	function broadcastQueueSilently() {
+		controller.sendTo("allInstances", new QueueEvent(queue, null, null));
 	}
 
 	function setQueue(newQueue: string[], player: string | null, src: lib.Address) {
@@ -162,9 +171,12 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 			tech.researched = true;
 			tech.progress = null;
 			progressToBroadcast.delete(name);
-			removeFinished(name);
+			let removed = removeFinished(name);
 
 			controller.sendTo("allInstances", new FinishedEvent(name, tech.level));
+			if (removed) {
+				broadcastQueueSilently();
+			}
 		}
 		technologiesDirty = true;
 	});
@@ -172,8 +184,9 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 	controller.handle(FinishedEvent, async (event: FinishedEvent) => {
 		let { name, level } = event;
 		let tech = technologies.get(name);
+		let removed = false;
 		if (!tech || tech.level < level || (tech.level === level && !tech.researched)) {
-			removeFinished(name);
+			removed = removeFinished(name);
 		}
 		if (!tech || tech.level <= level) {
 			controller.sendTo("allInstances", event);
@@ -181,6 +194,9 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 			technologies.set(name, { level, progress: null, researched: true });
 			technologiesDirty = true;
 		}
+		if (removed) {
+			broadcastQueueSilently();
+		}
 	});
 
 	controller.handle(SyncTechnologiesRequest, async (request: SyncTechnologiesRequest): Promise<TechnologySync[]> => {
@@ -192,6 +208,7 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 			return Number.parseInt(match[1], 10);
 		}
 
+		let removed = false;
 		for (let instanceTech of request.technologies) {
 			let { name, level, progress, researched } = instanceTech;
 			let tech = technologies.get(name);
@@ -203,7 +220,8 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 				} else if (researched || baseLevel(name) !== level) {
 					controller.sendTo("allInstances", new FinishedEvent(name, level));
 					// One queue entry per level unlocked
-					removeFinished(name, Math.max(level - Number(!researched) - baseLevel(name) + 1, 1));
+					let levels = Math.max(level - Number(!researched) - baseLevel(name) + 1, 1);
+					removed = removeFinished(name, levels) || removed;
 				}
 
 			} else {
@@ -216,7 +234,7 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 					let unlocked = level - Number(!researched) - (tech.level - Number(!tech.researched));
 					if (unlocked > 0) {
 						controller.sendTo("allInstances", new FinishedEvent(name, level - Number(!researched)));
-						removeFinished(name, unlocked);
+						removed = removeFinished(name, unlocked) || removed;
 					}
 					tech.level = level;
 					tech.progress = progress;
@@ -237,6 +255,9 @@ export default async function(context: ControllerPluginContext) {
 			}
 		}
 		progressRateLimiter.activate();
+		if (removed) {
+			broadcastQueueSilently();
+		}
 
 		let result = [];
 		for (let [name, tech] of technologies) {
diff --git a/plugins/research_sync/instance.ts b/plugins/research_sync/instance.ts
index a7124a51..7e7b5109 100644
--- a/plugins/research_sync/instance.ts
+++ b/plugins/research_sync/instance.ts
@@ -109,9 +109,10 @@ export default async function(context: InstancePluginContext) {
 		if (!syncStarted || !["starting", "running"].includes(instance.status)) {
 			return;
 		}
-		let data: { queue: string[], instance: string, player?: string } = {
-			queue: event.queue, instance: event.instance,
-		};
+		let data: { queue: string[], instance?: string, player?: string } = { queue: event.queue };
+		if (event.instance !== null) {
+			data.instance = event.instance;
+		}
 		if (event.player !== null) {
 			data.player = event.player;
 		}
diff --git a/plugins/research_sync/messages.ts b/plugins/research_sync/messages.ts
index b10580c3..58d5a38d 100644
--- a/plugins/research_sync/messages.ts
+++ b/plugins/research_sync/messages.ts
@@ -170,14 +170,14 @@ export class QueueEvent {
 	constructor(
 		public queue: string[],
 		public player: string | null,
-		public instance: string,
+		public instance: string | null,
 	) {
 	}
 
 	static jsonSchema = Type.Object({
 		"queue": Type.Array(Type.String()),
 		"player": Type.Union([Type.String(), Type.Null()]),
-		"instance": Type.String(),
+		"instance": Type.Union([Type.String(), Type.Null()]),
 	});
 
 	static fromJSON(json: Static<typeof QueueEvent.jsonSchema>): QueueEvent {
diff --git a/plugins/research_sync/test/controller.js b/plugins/research_sync/test/controller.js
index 83171d9a..5fbbfb91 100644
--- a/plugins/research_sync/test/controller.js
+++ b/plugins/research_sync/test/controller.js
@@ -110,6 +110,31 @@ describe("research_sync controller", function() {
 			await finished(new FinishedEvent("m", 3), src);
 			assert.deepEqual(await sync(), ["m", "x"]);
 		});
+		it("should send the queue silently after a completion behind the current research", async function() {
+			await update(["automation", "m", "m"]);
+			sent.length = 0;
+			await mock.getHandler(controller, ContributionEvent)(new ContributionEvent("m", 3, 1), src);
+			assert.equal(queueEvents().length, 1);
+			assert.deepEqual(queueEvents()[0][1], new QueueEvent(["automation", "m"], null, null));
+		});
+		it("should send the queue after an advancing FinishedEvent only", async function() {
+			await update(["m", "x"]);
+			sent.length = 0;
+			const finished = mock.getHandler(controller, FinishedEvent);
+			await finished(new FinishedEvent("m", 3), src);
+			assert.equal(queueEvents().length, 1);
+			assert.deepEqual(queueEvents()[0][1], new QueueEvent(["x"], null, null));
+			sent.length = 0;
+			await finished(new FinishedEvent("m", 3), src);
+			assert.equal(queueEvents().length, 0);
+		});
+		it("should send no queue when the finished technology is not queued", async function() {
+			await update(["x"]);
+			sent.length = 0;
+			await mock.getHandler(controller, FinishedEvent)(new FinishedEvent("m", 3), src);
+			await mock.getHandler(controller, ContributionEvent)(new ContributionEvent("n", 3, 1), src);
+			assert.equal(queueEvents().length, 0);
+		});
 		it("should drop an entry finished through a technology sync", async function() {
 			await update(["m", "x"]);
 			await mock.getHandler(controller, SyncTechnologiesRequest)(
@@ -126,8 +151,11 @@ describe("research_sync controller", function() {
 		it("should drop one entry per level unlocked on a known technology", async function() {
 			await techSync("m", 4, true);
 			await update(["m", "m", "m", "x"]);
+			sent.length = 0;
 			await techSync("m", 7, true);
 			assert.deepEqual(await sync(), ["x"]);
+			assert.equal(queueEvents().length, 1);
+			assert.deepEqual(queueEvents()[0][1], new QueueEvent(["x"], null, null));
 		});
 		it("should drop one entry per level unlocked on a new technology", async function() {
 			await update(["m", "m", "x"]);
diff --git a/plugins/research_sync/test/instance.js b/plugins/research_sync/test/instance.js
index 2abab6c8..0ef10c6e 100644
--- a/plugins/research_sync/test/instance.js
+++ b/plugins/research_sync/test/instance.js
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ describe("research_sync instance", function() {
 			await handler()(new QueueEvent(["a"], null, "rs-2"));
 			assert.equal(lastCommand(), applyCommand({ queue: ["a"], instance: "rs-2" }));
 		});
+		it("should leave out a null instance", async function() {
+			await handler()(new QueueEvent(["a"], null, null));
+			assert.equal(lastCommand(), applyCommand({ queue: ["a"] }));
+		});
 		it("should ignore the event while stopped", async function() {
 			instance.status = "stopped";
 			await handler()(new QueueEvent(["a"], null, "rs-2"));