diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js b/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
index 9faae4588b..9f5265cfd3 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
             parts = editState.getSerializedParts().map(p => partCreator.deserializePart(p));
         } else {
             // otherwise, parse the body of the event
-            parts = parseEvent(editState.getEvent(), room, this.context.matrixClient);
+            parts = parseEvent(editState.getEvent(), partCreator);
         }
 
         return new EditorModel(
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
index 6f480b8d3c..d76956d193 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
@@ -214,7 +214,13 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                     // update the current node with one that's now taken its place
                     node = pillContainer;
                 }
-            } else if (node.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE) {
+            } else if (
+                node.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE &&
+                // as applying pills happens outside of react, make sure we're not doubly
+                // applying @room pills here, as a rerender with the same content won't touch the DOM
+                // to clear the pills from the last run of pillifyLinks
+                !node.parentElement.classList.contains("mx_AtRoomPill")
+            ) {
                 const Pill = sdk.getComponent('elements.Pill');
 
                 let currentTextNode = node;
diff --git a/src/editor/autocomplete.js b/src/editor/autocomplete.js
index 6cb5974729..2aedf8d7f5 100644
--- a/src/editor/autocomplete.js
+++ b/src/editor/autocomplete.js
@@ -15,22 +15,19 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import {UserPillPart, RoomPillPart, PlainPart} from "./parts";
-
 export default class AutocompleteWrapperModel {
-    constructor(updateCallback, getAutocompleterComponent, updateQuery, room, client) {
+    constructor(updateCallback, getAutocompleterComponent, updateQuery, partCreator) {
         this._updateCallback = updateCallback;
         this._getAutocompleterComponent = getAutocompleterComponent;
         this._updateQuery = updateQuery;
+        this._partCreator = partCreator;
         this._query = null;
-        this._room = room;
-        this._client = client;
     }
 
     onEscape(e) {
         this._getAutocompleterComponent().onEscape(e);
         this._updateCallback({
-            replacePart: new PlainPart(this._queryPart.text),
+            replacePart: this._partCreator.plain(this._queryPart.text),
             caretOffset: this._queryOffset,
             close: true,
         });
@@ -93,21 +90,22 @@ export default class AutocompleteWrapperModel {
     }
 
     _partForCompletion(completion) {
-        const firstChr = completion.completionId && completion.completionId[0];
+        const {completionId} = completion;
+        const text = completion.completion;
+        const firstChr = completionId && completionId[0];
         switch (firstChr) {
             case "@": {
-                const displayName = completion.completion;
-                const userId = completion.completionId;
-                const member = this._room.getMember(userId);
-                return new UserPillPart(userId, displayName, member);
-            }
-            case "#": {
-                const displayAlias = completion.completionId;
-                return new RoomPillPart(displayAlias, this._client);
+                if (completionId === "@room") {
+                    return this._partCreator.atRoomPill(completionId);
+                } else {
+                    return this._partCreator.userPill(text, completionId);
+                }
             }
+            case "#":
+                return this._partCreator.roomPill(completionId);
             // also used for emoji completion
             default:
-                return new PlainPart(completion.completion);
+                return this._partCreator.plain(text);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/editor/deserialize.js b/src/editor/deserialize.js
index 2d98bbc41a..7e4e82affe 100644
--- a/src/editor/deserialize.js
+++ b/src/editor/deserialize.js
@@ -16,73 +16,86 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import { MATRIXTO_URL_PATTERN } from '../linkify-matrix';
-import { PlainPart, UserPillPart, RoomPillPart, NewlinePart } from "./parts";
 import { walkDOMDepthFirst } from "./dom";
 
 const REGEX_MATRIXTO = new RegExp(MATRIXTO_URL_PATTERN);
 
-function parseLink(a, room, client) {
+function parseAtRoomMentions(text, partCreator) {
+    const ATROOM = "@room";
+    const parts = [];
+    text.split(ATROOM).forEach((textPart, i, arr) => {
+        if (textPart.length) {
+            parts.push(partCreator.plain(textPart));
+        }
+        // it's safe to never append @room after the last textPart
+        // as split will report an empty string at the end if
+        // `text` ended in @room.
+        const isLast = i === arr.length - 1;
+        if (!isLast) {
+            parts.push(partCreator.atRoomPill(ATROOM));
+        }
+    });
+    return parts;
+}
+
+function parseLink(a, partCreator) {
     const {href} = a;
     const pillMatch = REGEX_MATRIXTO.exec(href) || [];
     const resourceId = pillMatch[1]; // The room/user ID
     const prefix = pillMatch[2]; // The first character of prefix
     switch (prefix) {
         case "@":
-            return new UserPillPart(
-                resourceId,
-                a.textContent,
-                room.getMember(resourceId),
-            );
+            return partCreator.userPill(a.textContent, resourceId);
         case "#":
-            return new RoomPillPart(resourceId, client);
+            return partCreator.roomPill(resourceId);
         default: {
             if (href === a.textContent) {
-                return new PlainPart(a.textContent);
+                return partCreator.plain(a.textContent);
             } else {
-                return new PlainPart(`[${a.textContent}](${href})`);
+                return partCreator.plain(`[${a.textContent}](${href})`);
             }
         }
     }
 }
 
-function parseCodeBlock(n) {
+function parseCodeBlock(n, partCreator) {
     const parts = [];
     const preLines = ("```\n" + n.textContent + "```").split("\n");
     preLines.forEach((l, i) => {
-        parts.push(new PlainPart(l));
+        parts.push(partCreator.plain(l));
         if (i < preLines.length - 1) {
-            parts.push(new NewlinePart("\n"));
+            parts.push(partCreator.newline());
         }
     });
     return parts;
 }
 
-function parseElement(n, room, client) {
+function parseElement(n, partCreator) {
     switch (n.nodeName) {
         case "A":
-            return parseLink(n, room, client);
+            return parseLink(n, partCreator);
         case "BR":
-            return new NewlinePart("\n");
+            return partCreator.newline();
         case "EM":
-            return new PlainPart(`*${n.textContent}*`);
+            return partCreator.plain(`*${n.textContent}*`);
         case "STRONG":
-            return new PlainPart(`**${n.textContent}**`);
+            return partCreator.plain(`**${n.textContent}**`);
         case "PRE":
-            return parseCodeBlock(n);
+            return parseCodeBlock(n, partCreator);
         case "CODE":
-            return new PlainPart(`\`${n.textContent}\``);
+            return partCreator.plain(`\`${n.textContent}\``);
         case "DEL":
-            return new PlainPart(`<del>${n.textContent}</del>`);
+            return partCreator.plain(`<del>${n.textContent}</del>`);
         case "LI":
             if (n.parentElement.nodeName === "OL") {
-                return new PlainPart(` 1. `);
+                return partCreator.plain(` 1. `);
             } else {
-                return new PlainPart(` - `);
+                return partCreator.plain(` - `);
             }
         default:
             // don't textify block nodes we'll decend into
             if (!checkDecendInto(n)) {
-                return new PlainPart(n.textContent);
+                return partCreator.plain(n.textContent);
             }
     }
 }
@@ -125,22 +138,22 @@ function checkIgnored(n) {
     return true;
 }
 
-function prefixQuoteLines(isFirstNode, parts) {
+function prefixQuoteLines(isFirstNode, parts, partCreator) {
     const PREFIX = "> ";
     // a newline (to append a > to) wouldn't be added to parts for the first line
     // if there was no content before the BLOCKQUOTE, so handle that
     if (isFirstNode) {
-        parts.splice(0, 0, new PlainPart(PREFIX));
+        parts.splice(0, 0, partCreator.plain(PREFIX));
     }
     for (let i = 0; i < parts.length; i += 1) {
         if (parts[i].type === "newline") {
-            parts.splice(i + 1, 0, new PlainPart(PREFIX));
+            parts.splice(i + 1, 0, partCreator.plain(PREFIX));
             i += 1;
         }
     }
 }
 
-function parseHtmlMessage(html, room, client) {
+function parseHtmlMessage(html, partCreator) {
     // no nodes from parsing here should be inserted in the document,
     // as scripts in event handlers, etc would be executed then.
     // we're only taking text, so that is fine
@@ -159,13 +172,13 @@ function parseHtmlMessage(html, room, client) {
 
         const newParts = [];
         if (lastNode && (checkBlockNode(lastNode) || checkBlockNode(n))) {
-            newParts.push(new NewlinePart("\n"));
+            newParts.push(partCreator.newline());
         }
 
         if (n.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE) {
-            newParts.push(new PlainPart(n.nodeValue));
+            newParts.push(...parseAtRoomMentions(n.nodeValue, partCreator));
         } else if (n.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE) {
-            const parseResult = parseElement(n, room, client);
+            const parseResult = parseElement(n, partCreator);
             if (parseResult) {
                 if (Array.isArray(parseResult)) {
                     newParts.push(...parseResult);
@@ -177,14 +190,14 @@ function parseHtmlMessage(html, room, client) {
 
         if (newParts.length && inQuote) {
             const isFirstPart = parts.length === 0;
-            prefixQuoteLines(isFirstPart, newParts);
+            prefixQuoteLines(isFirstPart, newParts, partCreator);
         }
 
         parts.push(...newParts);
 
         // extra newline after quote, only if there something behind it...
         if (lastNode && lastNode.nodeName === "BLOCKQUOTE") {
-            parts.push(new NewlinePart("\n"));
+            parts.push(partCreator.newline());
         }
         lastNode = null;
         return checkDecendInto(n);
@@ -205,27 +218,25 @@ function parseHtmlMessage(html, room, client) {
     return parts;
 }
 
-export function parseEvent(event, room, client) {
+export function parseEvent(event, partCreator) {
     const content = event.getContent();
     let parts;
     if (content.format === "org.matrix.custom.html") {
-        parts = parseHtmlMessage(content.formatted_body || "", room, client);
+        parts = parseHtmlMessage(content.formatted_body || "", partCreator);
     } else {
         const body = content.body || "";
         const lines = body.split("\n");
         parts = lines.reduce((parts, line, i) => {
             const isLast = i === lines.length - 1;
-            const text = new PlainPart(line);
-            const newLine = !isLast && new NewlinePart("\n");
-            if (newLine) {
-                return parts.concat(text, newLine);
-            } else {
-                return parts.concat(text);
+            const newParts = parseAtRoomMentions(line, partCreator);
+            if (!isLast) {
+                newParts.push(partCreator.newline());
             }
+            return parts.concat(newParts);
         }, []);
     }
     if (content.msgtype === "m.emote") {
-        parts.unshift(new PlainPart("/me "));
+        parts.unshift(partCreator.plain("/me "));
     }
     return parts;
 }
diff --git a/src/editor/parts.js b/src/editor/parts.js
index a122c7ab7a..dc2c1e69a2 100644
--- a/src/editor/parts.js
+++ b/src/editor/parts.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class BasePart {
     }
 }
 
-export class PlainPart extends BasePart {
+class PlainPart extends BasePart {
     acceptsInsertion(chr) {
         return chr !== "@" && chr !== "#" && chr !== ":" && chr !== "\n";
     }
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class PillPart extends BasePart {
     }
 }
 
-export class NewlinePart extends BasePart {
+class NewlinePart extends BasePart {
     acceptsInsertion(chr, i) {
         return (this.text.length + i) === 0 && chr === "\n";
     }
@@ -235,20 +235,10 @@ export class NewlinePart extends BasePart {
     }
 }
 
-export class RoomPillPart extends PillPart {
-    constructor(displayAlias, client) {
+class RoomPillPart extends PillPart {
+    constructor(displayAlias, room) {
         super(displayAlias, displayAlias);
-        this._room = this._findRoomByAlias(displayAlias, client);
-    }
-
-    _findRoomByAlias(alias, client) {
-        if (alias[0] === '#') {
-            return client.getRooms().find((r) => {
-                return r.getAliases().includes(alias);
-            });
-        } else {
-            return client.getRoom(alias);
-        }
+        this._room = room;
     }
 
     setAvatar(node) {
@@ -270,7 +260,13 @@ export class RoomPillPart extends PillPart {
     }
 }
 
-export class UserPillPart extends PillPart {
+class AtRoomPillPart extends RoomPillPart {
+    get type() {
+        return "at-room-pill";
+    }
+}
+
+class UserPillPart extends PillPart {
     constructor(userId, displayName, member) {
         super(userId, displayName);
         this._member = member;
@@ -311,7 +307,7 @@ export class UserPillPart extends PillPart {
 }
 
 
-export class PillCandidatePart extends PlainPart {
+class PillCandidatePart extends PlainPart {
     constructor(text, autoCompleteCreator) {
         super(text);
         this._autoCompleteCreator = autoCompleteCreator;
@@ -351,8 +347,7 @@ export class PartCreator {
                 updateCallback,
                 getAutocompleterComponent,
                 updateQuery,
-                room,
-                client,
+                this,
             );
         };
     }
@@ -362,7 +357,7 @@ export class PartCreator {
             case "#":
             case "@":
             case ":":
-                return new PillCandidatePart("", this._autoCompleteCreator);
+                return this.pillCandidate("");
             case "\n":
                 return new NewlinePart();
             default:
@@ -371,24 +366,57 @@ export class PartCreator {
     }
 
     createDefaultPart(text) {
-        return new PlainPart(text);
+        return this.plain(text);
     }
 
     deserializePart(part) {
         switch (part.type) {
             case "plain":
-                return new PlainPart(part.text);
+                return this.plain(part.text);
             case "newline":
-                return new NewlinePart(part.text);
+                return this.newline();
+            case "at-room-pill":
+                return this.atRoomPill(part.text);
             case "pill-candidate":
-                return new PillCandidatePart(part.text, this._autoCompleteCreator);
+                return this.pillCandidate(part.text);
             case "room-pill":
-                return new RoomPillPart(part.text, this._client);
-            case "user-pill": {
-                const member = this._room.getMember(part.userId);
-                return new UserPillPart(part.userId, part.text, member);
-            }
+                return this.roomPill(part.text);
+            case "user-pill":
+                return this.userPill(part.text, part.userId);
         }
     }
+
+    plain(text) {
+        return new PlainPart(text);
+    }
+
+    newline() {
+        return new NewlinePart("\n");
+    }
+
+    pillCandidate(text) {
+        return new PillCandidatePart(text, this._autoCompleteCreator);
+    }
+
+    roomPill(alias) {
+        let room;
+        if (alias[0] === '#') {
+            room = this._client.getRooms().find((r) => {
+                return r.getAliases().includes(alias);
+            });
+        } else {
+            room = this._client.getRoom(alias);
+        }
+        return new RoomPillPart(alias, room);
+    }
+
+    atRoomPill(text) {
+        return new AtRoomPillPart(text, this._room);
+    }
+
+    userPill(displayName, userId) {
+        const member = this._room.getMember(userId);
+        return new UserPillPart(userId, displayName, member);
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/editor/serialize.js b/src/editor/serialize.js
index 73fbbe5d01..876130074c 100644
--- a/src/editor/serialize.js
+++ b/src/editor/serialize.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export function mdSerialize(model) {
                 return html + "\n";
             case "plain":
             case "pill-candidate":
+            case "at-room-pill":
                 return html + part.text;
             case "room-pill":
             case "user-pill":
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ export function textSerialize(model) {
                 return text + "\n";
             case "plain":
             case "pill-candidate":
+            case "at-room-pill":
                 return text + part.text;
             case "room-pill":
             case "user-pill":
@@ -58,13 +60,11 @@ export function textSerialize(model) {
 export function requiresHtml(model) {
     return model.parts.some(part => {
         switch (part.type) {
-            case "newline":
-            case "plain":
-            case "pill-candidate":
-                return false;
             case "room-pill":
             case "user-pill":
                 return true;
+            default:
+                return false;
         }
     });
 }