diff --git a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
index 3abb0b3c6..790f5bd1b 100644
--- a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
+++ b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
@@ -203,6 +203,12 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) IncrementalSync(
 		req.Log.WithError(err).Error("unable to update event filter with ignored users")
 	}
 
+	dbEvents, err := p.getRecentEvents(ctx, stateDeltas, r, eventFilter, snapshot)
+	if err != nil {
+		req.Log.WithError(err).Error("unable to get recent events")
+		return r.From
+	}
+
 	newPos = from
 	for _, delta := range stateDeltas {
 		newRange := r
@@ -218,7 +224,7 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) IncrementalSync(
 			}
 		}
 		var pos types.StreamPosition
-		if pos, err = p.addRoomDeltaToResponse(ctx, snapshot, req.Device, newRange, delta, &eventFilter, &stateFilter, req); err != nil {
+		if pos, err = p.addRoomDeltaToResponse(ctx, snapshot, req.Device, newRange, delta, &eventFilter, &stateFilter, req, dbEvents); err != nil {
 			req.Log.WithError(err).Error("d.addRoomDeltaToResponse failed")
 			if err == context.DeadlineExceeded || err == context.Canceled || err == sql.ErrTxDone {
 				return newPos
@@ -240,6 +246,66 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) IncrementalSync(
 	return newPos
 }
 
+func (p *PDUStreamProvider) getRecentEvents(ctx context.Context, stateDeltas []types.StateDelta, r types.Range, eventFilter synctypes.RoomEventFilter, snapshot storage.DatabaseTransaction) (map[string]types.RecentEvents, error) {
+	var roomIDs []string
+	var newlyJoinedRoomIDs []string
+	for _, delta := range stateDeltas {
+		if delta.NewlyJoined {
+			newlyJoinedRoomIDs = append(newlyJoinedRoomIDs, delta.RoomID)
+		} else {
+			roomIDs = append(roomIDs, delta.RoomID)
+		}
+	}
+	dbEvents := make(map[string]types.RecentEvents)
+	if len(roomIDs) > 0 {
+		events, err := snapshot.RecentEvents(
+			ctx, roomIDs, r,
+			&eventFilter, true, true,
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			if err != sql.ErrNoRows {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		for k, v := range events {
+			dbEvents[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	if len(newlyJoinedRoomIDs) > 0 {
+		// For rooms that were joined in this sync, try to fetch
+		// as much timeline events as allowed by the filter.
+
+		filter := eventFilter
+		// If we're going backwards, grep at least X events, this is mostly to satisfy Sytest
+		if eventFilter.Limit < recentEventBackwardsLimit {
+			filter.Limit = recentEventBackwardsLimit // TODO: Figure out a better way
+			diff := r.From - r.To
+			if diff > 0 && diff < recentEventBackwardsLimit {
+				filter.Limit = int(diff)
+			}
+		}
+
+		events, err := snapshot.RecentEvents(
+			ctx, newlyJoinedRoomIDs, types.Range{
+				From:      r.To,
+				To:        0,
+				Backwards: true,
+			},
+			&filter, true, true,
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			if err != sql.ErrNoRows {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		for k, v := range events {
+			dbEvents[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+
+	return dbEvents, nil
+}
+
 // Limit the recent events to X when going backwards
 const recentEventBackwardsLimit = 100
 
@@ -253,29 +319,9 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) addRoomDeltaToResponse(
 	eventFilter *synctypes.RoomEventFilter,
 	stateFilter *synctypes.StateFilter,
 	req *types.SyncRequest,
+	dbEvents map[string]types.RecentEvents,
 ) (types.StreamPosition, error) {
 	var err error
-	originalLimit := eventFilter.Limit
-	// If we're going backwards, grep at least X events, this is mostly to satisfy Sytest
-	if r.Backwards && originalLimit < recentEventBackwardsLimit {
-		eventFilter.Limit = recentEventBackwardsLimit // TODO: Figure out a better way
-		diff := r.From - r.To
-		if diff > 0 && diff < recentEventBackwardsLimit {
-			eventFilter.Limit = int(diff)
-		}
-	}
-
-	dbEvents, err := snapshot.RecentEvents(
-		ctx, []string{delta.RoomID}, r,
-		eventFilter, true, true,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-			return r.To, nil
-		}
-		return r.From, fmt.Errorf("p.DB.RecentEvents: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	recentStreamEvents := dbEvents[delta.RoomID].Events
 	limited := dbEvents[delta.RoomID].Limited
 
@@ -337,9 +383,9 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) addRoomDeltaToResponse(
 		logrus.WithError(err).Error("unable to apply history visibility filter")
 	}
 
-	if r.Backwards && len(events) > originalLimit {
+	if r.Backwards && len(events) > eventFilter.Limit {
 		// We're going backwards and the events are ordered chronologically, so take the last `limit` events
-		events = events[len(events)-originalLimit:]
+		events = events[len(events)-eventFilter.Limit:]
 		limited = true
 	}