diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 867fdbefb..e324662f1 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -380,15 +380,6 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseHandler):
         if limit is None:
             limit = 10
 
-        messages, token = yield self.store.get_recent_events_for_room(
-            room_id,
-            limit=limit,
-            end_token=now_token.room_key,
-        )
-
-        start_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[0])
-        end_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[1])
-
         room_members = [
             m for m in current_state.values()
             if m.type == EventTypes.Member
@@ -396,19 +387,38 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseHandler):
         ]
 
         presence_handler = self.hs.get_handlers().presence_handler
-        presence = []
-        for m in room_members:
-            try:
-                member_presence = yield presence_handler.get_state(
-                    target_user=UserID.from_string(m.user_id),
-                    auth_user=auth_user,
-                    as_event=True,
-                )
-                presence.append(member_presence)
-            except SynapseError:
-                logger.exception(
-                    "Failed to get member presence of %r", m.user_id
+
+        @defer.inlineCallbacks
+        def get_presence():
+            presence_defs = yield defer.DeferredList(
+                [
+                    presence_handler.get_state(
+                        target_user=UserID.from_string(m.user_id),
+                        auth_user=auth_user,
+                        as_event=True,
+                        check_auth=False,
+                    )
+                    for m in room_members
+                ],
+                consumeErrors=True,
+            )
+
+            defer.returnValue([p for success, p in presence_defs if success])
+
+        presence, (messages, token) = yield defer.gatherResults(
+            [
+                get_presence(),
+                self.store.get_recent_events_for_room(
+                    room_id,
+                    limit=limit,
+                    end_token=now_token.room_key,
                 )
+            ],
+            consumeErrors=True,
+        ).addErrback(unwrapFirstError)
+
+        start_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[0])
+        end_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[1])
 
         time_now = self.clock.time_msec()
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/presence.py b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
index 023ad33ab..7c0319831 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/presence.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
@@ -191,24 +191,24 @@ class PresenceHandler(BaseHandler):
         defer.returnValue(False)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state(self, target_user, auth_user, as_event=False):
+    def get_state(self, target_user, auth_user, as_event=False, check_auth=True):
         if self.hs.is_mine(target_user):
-            visible = yield self.is_presence_visible(
-                observer_user=auth_user,
-                observed_user=target_user
-            )
+            if check_auth:
+                visible = yield self.is_presence_visible(
+                    observer_user=auth_user,
+                    observed_user=target_user
+                )
 
-            if not visible:
-                raise SynapseError(404, "Presence information not visible")
-            state = yield self.store.get_presence_state(target_user.localpart)
-            if "mtime" in state:
-                del state["mtime"]
-            state["presence"] = state.pop("state")
+                if not visible:
+                    raise SynapseError(404, "Presence information not visible")
 
             if target_user in self._user_cachemap:
-                cached_state = self._user_cachemap[target_user].get_state()
-                if "last_active" in cached_state:
-                    state["last_active"] = cached_state["last_active"]
+                state = self._user_cachemap[target_user].get_state()
+            else:
+                state = yield self.store.get_presence_state(target_user.localpart)
+                if "mtime" in state:
+                    del state["mtime"]
+                state["presence"] = state.pop("state")
         else:
             # TODO(paul): Have remote server send us permissions set
             state = self._get_or_offline_usercache(target_user).get_state()