diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
index aa5843c1c..35ffb4866 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
@@ -420,17 +420,24 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
         }
 
         // Add all the events to the backend.
-        trace!("adding new events");
-        self.store.add_room_events(self.room.room_id(), timeline.events.clone()).await?;
+        if !timeline.events.is_empty()
+            || timeline.prev_batch.is_some()
+            || !ephemeral.is_empty()
+            || !account_data.is_empty()
+            || !ambiguity_changes.is_empty()
+        {
+            trace!("adding new events");
+            self.store.add_room_events(self.room.room_id(), timeline.events.clone()).await?;
 
-        // Propagate events to observers.
-        let _ = self.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Append {
-            events: timeline.events,
-            prev_batch: timeline.prev_batch,
-            ephemeral,
-            account_data,
-            ambiguity_changes,
-        });
+            // Propagate events to observers.
+            let _ = self.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Append {
+                events: timeline.events,
+                prev_batch: timeline.prev_batch,
+                ephemeral,
+                account_data,
+                ambiguity_changes,
+            });
+        }
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -444,6 +451,10 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
     /// Append a set of events to the room cache and storage, notifying
     /// observers.
     async fn append_events(&self, events: Vec<SyncTimelineEvent>) -> Result<()> {
+        if events.is_empty() {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
         self.store.add_room_events(self.room.room_id(), events.clone()).await?;
 
         let _ = self.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Append {
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/event_cache.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/event_cache.rs
index 5996f336f..2f9dc4287 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/event_cache.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/event_cache.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ async fn test_add_initial_events() {
 
     let event_cache = client.event_cache();
 
+    // Immediately subscribe the event cache to sync updates.
+    event_cache.subscribe().unwrap();
+
     // If I sync and get informed I've joined The Room, but with no events,
     let room_id = room_id!("!omelette:fromage.fr");
 
@@ -81,8 +84,7 @@ async fn test_add_initial_events() {
     client.sync_once(Default::default()).await.unwrap();
     server.reset().await;
 
-    // If I create a room event subscriber, just after subscribing,
-    event_cache.subscribe().unwrap();
+    // If I create a room event subscriber,
 
     let (room_event_cache, _drop_handles) = event_cache.for_room(room_id).await.unwrap();
     let (events, mut subscriber) = room_event_cache.subscribe().await.unwrap();