diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
index f385af1a8..8cd61ac51 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
@@ -219,10 +219,10 @@ impl SlidingSyncRoom {
         let (items, mut stoppable_spawn) = self.add_timeline_listener_inner(listener)?;
         let room_id = self.inner.room_id().clone();
 
-        self.runner.subscribe(room_id.clone(), settings.map(Into::into));
+        self.runner.subscribe(room_id.clone(), settings.map(Into::into))?;
 
         let runner = self.runner.clone();
-        stoppable_spawn.set_finalizer(Box::new(move || runner.unsubscribe(room_id)));
+        stoppable_spawn.set_finalizer(Box::new(move || runner.unsubscribe(room_id).unwrap()));
 
         Ok(SlidingSyncSubscribeResult { items, task_handle: Arc::new(stoppable_spawn) })
     }
@@ -547,6 +547,7 @@ impl SlidingSyncListBuilder {
 
     pub fn once_built(self: Arc<Self>, callback: Box<dyn SlidingSyncListOnceBuilt>) -> Arc<Self> {
         let mut builder = unwrap_or_clone_arc(self);
+
         builder.inner = builder.inner.once_built(
             move |list: matrix_sdk::SlidingSyncList| -> matrix_sdk::SlidingSyncList {
                 let list = callback.update_list(Arc::new(list.into()));
@@ -695,12 +696,14 @@ impl SlidingSync {
         room_id: String,
         settings: Option<RoomSubscription>,
     ) -> Result<(), ClientError> {
-        self.inner.subscribe(room_id.try_into()?, settings.map(Into::into));
+        self.inner.subscribe(room_id.try_into()?, settings.map(Into::into))?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub fn unsubscribe(&self, room_id: String) -> Result<(), ClientError> {
-        self.inner.unsubscribe(room_id.try_into()?);
+        self.inner.unsubscribe(room_id.try_into()?)?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/mod.rs
index 17287d099..c6f59795c 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/mod.rs
@@ -139,23 +139,35 @@ impl SlidingSync {
     }
 
     /// Subscribe to a given room.
-    ///
-    /// Note: this does not cancel any pending request, so make sure to only
-    /// poll the stream after you've altered this. If you do that during, it
-    /// might take one round trip to take effect.
-    pub fn subscribe(&self, room_id: OwnedRoomId, settings: Option<v4::RoomSubscription>) {
+    pub fn subscribe(
+        &self,
+        room_id: OwnedRoomId,
+        settings: Option<v4::RoomSubscription>,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
         self.inner.subscriptions.write().unwrap().insert(room_id, settings.unwrap_or_default());
+
+        self.inner
+            .internal_channel
+            .0
+            .blocking_send(SlidingSyncInternalMessage::ContinueSyncLoop)
+            .map_err(|_| Error::InternalChannelIsBroken)?;
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Unsubscribe from a given room.
-    ///
-    /// Note: this does not cancel any pending request, so make sure to only
-    /// poll the stream after you've altered this. If you do that during, it
-    /// might take one round trip to take effect.
-    pub fn unsubscribe(&self, room_id: OwnedRoomId) {
+    pub fn unsubscribe(&self, room_id: OwnedRoomId) -> Result<()> {
         if self.inner.subscriptions.write().unwrap().remove(&room_id).is_some() {
             self.inner.unsubscribe.write().unwrap().push(room_id);
+
+            self.inner
+                .internal_channel
+                .0
+                .blocking_send(SlidingSyncInternalMessage::ContinueSyncLoop)
+                .map_err(|_| Error::InternalChannelIsBroken)?;
         }
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Add the common extensions if not already configured.