diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
index 32e83052a..b196e2d36 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,51 @@ impl RoomPagination {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Paginate from either the storage or the network, and let pagination
+    /// status observers know about updates.
     async fn run_backwards_impl(&self, batch_size: u16) -> Result<Option<BackPaginationOutcome>> {
+        // There is at least one gap that must be resolved; reach the network.
+        // First, ensure there's no other ongoing back-pagination.
+        let status_observable = &self.inner.pagination_status;
+
+        let prev_status = status_observable.set(RoomPaginationStatus::Paginating);
+        if !matches!(prev_status, RoomPaginationStatus::Idle { .. }) {
+            return Err(EventCacheError::AlreadyBackpaginating);
+        }
+
+        let reset_status_on_drop_guard = ResetStatusOnDrop {
+            prev_status: Some(prev_status),
+            pagination_status: status_observable.clone(),
+        };
+
+        match self.paginate_backwards_impl(batch_size).await? {
+            Some(outcome) => {
+                // Back-pagination's over and successful, don't reset the status to the previous
+                // value.
+                reset_status_on_drop_guard.disarm();
+
+                // Notify subscribers that pagination ended.
+                status_observable
+                    .set(RoomPaginationStatus::Idle { hit_timeline_start: outcome.reached_start });
+                Ok(Some(outcome))
+            }
+
+            None => {
+                // We keep the previous status value, because we haven't obtained more
+                // information about the pagination.
+                Ok(None)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Paginate from either the storage or the network.
+    ///
+    /// This method isn't concerned with setting the pagination status; only the
+    /// caller is.
+    async fn paginate_backwards_impl(
+        &self,
+        batch_size: u16,
+    ) -> Result<Option<BackPaginationOutcome>> {
         // A linked chunk might not be entirely loaded (if it's been lazy-loaded). Try
         // to load from storage first, then from network if storage indicated
         // there's no previous events chunk to load.
@@ -165,25 +209,18 @@ impl RoomPagination {
         self.paginate_backwards_with_network(batch_size).await
     }
 
+    /// Run a single pagination request (/messages) to the server.
+    ///
+    /// If there's no previous-batch token, it will wait for one for a short
+    /// while to get one, or if it's already done so or seen a
+    /// previous-batch token before, it will immediately indicate
+    /// it's reached the end of the timeline.
     async fn paginate_backwards_with_network(
         &self,
         batch_size: u16,
     ) -> Result<Option<BackPaginationOutcome>> {
         const DEFAULT_WAIT_FOR_TOKEN_DURATION: Duration = Duration::from_secs(3);
 
-        // There is at least one gap that must be resolved; reach the network.
-        // First, ensure there's no other ongoing back-pagination.
-        let prev_status = self.inner.pagination_status.set(RoomPaginationStatus::Paginating);
-
-        if !matches!(prev_status, RoomPaginationStatus::Idle { .. }) {
-            return Err(EventCacheError::AlreadyBackpaginating);
-        }
-
-        let reset_status_on_drop_guard = ResetStatusOnDrop {
-            prev_status: Some(prev_status),
-            pagination_status: self.inner.pagination_status.clone(),
-        };
-
         let prev_token = self.get_or_wait_for_token(Some(DEFAULT_WAIT_FOR_TOKEN_DURATION)).await;
 
         let prev_token = match prev_token {
@@ -222,11 +259,11 @@ impl RoomPagination {
                 matches!(chunk.content(), ChunkContent::Gap(Gap { ref prev_token }) if *prev_token == token)
             });
 
-            // We got a previous-batch token from the linked chunk *before* running the
-            // request, which is missing from the linked chunk *after*
-            // completing the request. It may be a sign the linked chunk has
-            // been reset, and it's an error in any case.
             if gap_id.is_none() {
+                // We got a previous-batch token from the linked chunk *before* running the
+                // request, which is missing from the linked chunk *after* completing the
+                // request. It may be a sign the linked chunk has been reset,
+                // and it's an error in any case.
                 return Ok(None);
             }
 
@@ -355,14 +392,6 @@ impl RoomPagination {
 
         let backpagination_outcome = BackPaginationOutcome { events, reached_start };
 
-        // Back-pagination's over; time to disarm the status guard.
-        reset_status_on_drop_guard.disarm();
-
-        // Notify subscribers that pagination ended.
-        self.inner
-            .pagination_status
-            .set(RoomPaginationStatus::Idle { hit_timeline_start: reached_start });
-
         if !sync_timeline_events_diffs.is_empty() {
             let _ = self.inner.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::UpdateTimelineEvents {
                 diffs: sync_timeline_events_diffs,
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
index 641239b6a..bcd7bf5b7 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
@@ -848,8 +848,6 @@ mod private {
                     Ok(None) => {
                         // No previous chunk: no events to insert. Better, it means we've reached
                         // the start of the timeline!
-                        self.pagination_status
-                            .set(RoomPaginationStatus::Idle { hit_timeline_start: true });
                         return Ok(LoadMoreEventsBackwardsOutcome::StartOfTimeline);
                     }