diff --git a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
index d29a08ceb4..7c89694a29 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ var TimelinePanel = React.createClass({
             forwardPaginating: false,
 
             // cache of matrixClient.getSyncState() (but from the 'sync' event)
-            clientSyncState: null,
+            clientSyncState: MatrixClientPeg.get().getSyncState(),
         };
     },