diff --git a/include/ircd/m/event/append.h b/include/ircd/m/event/append.h
index 7b2173cee..d348e1593 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/event/append.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/event/append.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct ircd::m::event::append::opts
 	const event::keys *keys {nullptr};
 	long age {std::numeric_limits<long>::min()};
 	bool query_txnid {true};
+	bool query_prev_state {true};
 };
 
 inline
diff --git a/modules/m_event_append.cc b/modules/m_event_append.cc
index e8348bff1..0d2f79292 100644
--- a/modules/m_event_append.cc
+++ b/modules/m_event_append.cc
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ ircd::m::event::append::append(json::stack::object &object,
 		return true;
 	});
 
-	if(is_state && has_event_idx)
+	if(has_event_idx && opts.query_prev_state && is_state)
 	{
 		const auto prev_idx
 		{