diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
index 6c2fbc71e..77c53c075 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/sliding_sync.rs
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ impl SlidingSyncList {
         &self,
         observer: Box<dyn SlidingSyncListStateObserver>,
     ) -> Arc<TaskHandle> {
-        let mut state_stream = self.inner.state_stream();
+        let (_, mut state_stream) = self.inner.state_stream();
 
         Arc::new(TaskHandle::new(RUNTIME.spawn(async move {
             loop {
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/README.md b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/README.md
index bd0ea7515..55f5890c6 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/README.md
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/README.md
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ let sliding_sync = sliding_sync_builder
 
 // subscribe to the list APIs for updates
 
-let (list_state_stream, list_count_stream, (_, list_stream)) = sliding_sync.on_list(&active_list_name, |list| {
+let ((_, list_state_stream), list_count_stream, (_, list_stream)) = sliding_sync.on_list(&active_list_name, |list| {
     ready((list.state_stream(), list.maximum_number_of_rooms_stream(), list.room_list_stream()))
 }).await.unwrap();
 
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/list/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/list/mod.rs
index 1eb7b6f9c..4d4bbf4c8 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/list/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/sliding_sync/list/mod.rs
@@ -110,8 +110,14 @@ impl SlidingSyncList {
     ///
     /// There's no guarantee of ordering between items emitted by this stream
     /// and those emitted by other streams exposed on this structure.
-    pub fn state_stream(&self) -> impl Stream<Item = SlidingSyncListLoadingState> {
-        Observable::subscribe(&self.inner.state.read().unwrap())
+    pub fn state_stream(
+        &self,
+    ) -> (SlidingSyncListLoadingState, impl Stream<Item = SlidingSyncListLoadingState>) {
+        let read_lock = self.inner.state.read().unwrap();
+        let previous_value = (*read_lock).clone();
+        let subscriber = Observable::subscribe(&read_lock);
+
+        (previous_value, subscriber)
     }
 
     /// Get the timeline limit.