diff --git a/src/RoomListSorter.js b/src/RoomListSorter.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5d3ab1fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RoomListSorter.js
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2015 OpenMarket Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+function tsOfNewestEvent(room) {
+    return room.timeline[room.timeline.length - 1].getTs();
+}
+
+function mostRecentFirst(roomList) {
+    return roomList.sort(function(a,b) {
+        return tsOfNewestEvent(b) - tsOfNewestEvent(a);
+    });
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    mostRecentFirst: mostRecentFirst
+};
diff --git a/src/controllers/organisms/RoomList.js b/src/controllers/organisms/RoomList.js
index acc510ee19..87413e18f2 100644
--- a/src/controllers/organisms/RoomList.js
+++ b/src/controllers/organisms/RoomList.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 var React = require("react");
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("../../MatrixClientPeg");
+var RoomListSorter = require("../../RoomListSorter");
 
 var ComponentBroker = require('../../ComponentBroker');
 
@@ -30,8 +31,9 @@ module.exports = {
         cli.on("Room.timeline", this.onRoomTimeline);
         cli.on("Room.name", this.onRoomName);
 
+        var rooms = this.getRoomList();
         this.setState({
-            roomList: cli.getRooms(),
+            roomList: rooms,
             activityMap: {}
         });
     },
@@ -52,42 +54,51 @@ module.exports = {
     },
 
     onRoom: function(room) {
-        var cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
-        this.setState({
-            roomList: cli.getRooms(),
-        });
+        this.refreshRoomList();
     },
 
     onRoomTimeline: function(ev, room, toStartOfTimeline) {
         if (toStartOfTimeline) return;
-        if (room.roomId == this.props.selectedRoom) return;
-        if (ev.getSender() == MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId) return;
 
-        var hl = 1;
+        var newState = {
+            roomList: this.getRoomList()
+        };
+        if (
+            room.roomId != this.props.selectedRoom &&
+            ev.getSender() != MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId)
+        {
+            var hl = 1;
 
-        var actions = MatrixClientPeg.get().getPushActionsForEvent(ev);
-        if (actions && actions.tweaks && actions.tweaks.highlight) {
-            hl = 2;
+            var actions = MatrixClientPeg.get().getPushActionsForEvent(ev);
+            if (actions && actions.tweaks && actions.tweaks.highlight) {
+                hl = 2;
+            }
+            if (actions.notify) {
+                // obviously this won't deep copy but this shouldn't be necessary
+                var amap = this.state.activityMap;
+                amap[room.roomId] = Math.max(amap[room.roomId] || 0, hl);
+
+                newState.activityMap = amap;
+            }
         }
-        if (!actions.notify) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // obviously this won't deep copy but this shouldn't be necessary
-        var amap = this.state.activityMap;
-        amap[room.roomId] = Math.max(amap[room.roomId] || 0, hl);
-        this.setState({
-            activityMap: amap
-        });
+        this.setState(newState);
     },
 
     onRoomName: function(room) {
-        var cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
+        this.refreshRoomList();
+    },
+
+    refreshRoomList: function() {
+        var rooms = this.getRoomList();
         this.setState({
-            roomList: cli.getRooms(),
+            roomList: rooms
         });
     },
 
+    getRoomList() {
+        return RoomListSorter.mostRecentFirst(MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms());
+    },
+
     makeRoomTiles: function() {
         var that = this;
         return this.state.roomList.map(function(room) {
diff --git a/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js b/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
index 600d97e9d9..94c933a53f 100644
--- a/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 var Loader = require("react-loader");
 
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("../../MatrixClientPeg");
+var RoomListSorter = require("../../RoomListSorter");
 
 var dis = require("../../dispatcher");
 
@@ -106,7 +107,9 @@ module.exports = {
         cli.on('syncComplete', function() {
             var firstRoom = null;
             if (cli.getRooms() && cli.getRooms().length) {
-                firstRoom = cli.getRooms()[0].roomId;
+                firstRoom = RoomListSorter.mostRecentFirst(
+                    cli.getRooms()
+                )[0].roomId;
             }
             that.setState({ready: true, currentRoom: firstRoom});
             dis.dispatch({action: 'focus_composer'});