diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
index bcb7dcbe8..a819fed97 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
@@ -409,15 +409,41 @@ pub struct EventCacheConfig {
     ///
     /// Off by default.
     pub experimental_auto_backpagination: bool,
+
+    /// The maximum number of allowed room paginations, for a given room, that
+    /// can be executed in the background request task.
+    ///
+    /// After that number of paginations, the task will stop executing
+    /// paginations for that room *in the background* (user-requested
+    /// paginations will still be executed, of course).
+    ///
+    /// Defaults to [`EventCacheConfig::DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_CREDITS`].
+    pub room_pagination_per_room_credit: usize,
+
+    /// The number of messages to paginate in a single batch, when executing a
+    /// background pagination request.
+    ///
+    /// Defaults to [`EventCacheConfig::DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_BATCH_SIZE`].
+    pub room_pagination_batch_size: u16,
 }
 
 impl EventCacheConfig {
     /// The default maximum number of pinned events to load.
-    const DEFAULT_MAX_EVENTS_TO_LOAD: usize = 128;
+    pub const DEFAULT_MAX_EVENTS_TO_LOAD: usize = 128;
 
     /// The default maximum number of concurrent requests to perform when
     /// loading the pinned events.
-    const DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT_REQUESTS: usize = 8;
+    pub const DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT_REQUESTS: usize = 8;
+
+    /// The default number of credits to give to a room for background
+    /// paginations (see also
+    /// [`EventCacheConfig::room_pagination_per_room_credit`]).
+    pub const DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_CREDITS: usize = 20;
+
+    /// The default number of messages to paginate in a single batch, when
+    /// executing a background pagination request (see also
+    /// [`EventCacheConfig::room_pagination_batch_size`]).
+    pub const DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_BATCH_SIZE: u16 = 30;
 }
 
 impl Default for EventCacheConfig {
@@ -425,6 +451,8 @@ impl Default for EventCacheConfig {
         Self {
             max_pinned_events_concurrent_requests: Self::DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT_REQUESTS,
             max_pinned_events_to_load: Self::DEFAULT_MAX_EVENTS_TO_LOAD,
+            room_pagination_per_room_credit: Self::DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_CREDITS,
+            room_pagination_batch_size: Self::DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_BATCH_SIZE,
             experimental_auto_backpagination: false,
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/tasks.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/tasks.rs
index bcfc592b1..c6fe582f6 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/tasks.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/tasks.rs
@@ -93,18 +93,6 @@ pub(crate) enum BackgroundRequest {
     PaginateRoomBackwards { room_id: OwnedRoomId },
 }
 
-/// The maximum number of allowed room paginations, for a given room, that can
-/// be executed in the background request task.
-///
-/// After that number of paginations, the task will stop executing paginations
-/// for that room *in the background* (user-requested paginations will still be
-/// executed, of course).
-const DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_CREDITS: usize = 20;
-
-/// The number of messages to paginate in a single batch, when executing a
-/// background pagination request.
-const DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_PAGINATION_SIZE: u16 = 30;
-
 /// Listen to background requests, and execute them in real-time.
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub(super) async fn background_requests_task(
@@ -118,9 +106,11 @@ pub(super) async fn background_requests_task(
     while let Some(request) = receiver.recv().await {
         match request {
             BackgroundRequest::PaginateRoomBackwards { room_id } => {
+                let config = *inner.config.read().unwrap();
+
                 let credits = room_pagination_credits
                     .entry(room_id.clone())
-                    .or_insert(DEFAULT_ROOM_PAGINATION_CREDITS);
+                    .or_insert(config.room_pagination_per_room_credit);
 
                 if *credits == 0 {
                     trace!(for_room = %room_id, "No more credits to paginate this room in the background, skipping");
@@ -137,7 +127,7 @@ pub(super) async fn background_requests_task(
 
                 trace!(for_room = %room_id, "automatic backpagination triggered");
 
-                match pagination.run_backwards_once(DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_PAGINATION_SIZE).await {
+                match pagination.run_backwards_once(config.room_pagination_batch_size).await {
                     Ok(outcome) => {
                         // Background requests must be idempotent, so we only decrement credits if
                         // we actually paginated something new.