diff --git a/benchmarks/Cargo.toml b/benchmarks/Cargo.toml
index 8996f10c4..f74e3e092 100644
--- a/benchmarks/Cargo.toml
+++ b/benchmarks/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ criterion = { version = "0.3.5", features = ["async", "async_tokio", "html_repor
 matrix-sdk-crypto = { path = "../crates/matrix-sdk-crypto", version = "0.5.0" }
 matrix-sdk-sled = { path = "../crates/matrix-sdk-sled", version = "0.1.0", default-features = false, features = ["crypto-store"] }
 matrix-sdk-test = { path = "../crates/matrix-sdk-test", version = "0.5.0" }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae" }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94" }
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
 tempfile = "3.3.0"
 tokio = { version = "1.17.0", default-features = false, features = ["rt-multi-thread"] }
diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-ffi/Cargo.toml b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-ffi/Cargo.toml
index 445fcbbc5..bb7fc696f 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-ffi/Cargo.toml
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-ffi/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ hmac = "0.12.1"
 http = "0.2.6"
 pbkdf2 = "0.11.0"
 rand = "0.8.5"
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c"] }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
 sha2 = "0.10.2"
diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-js/Cargo.toml b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-js/Cargo.toml
index 253619705..1c8542856 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-js/Cargo.toml
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-js/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ tracing = []
 [dependencies]
 matrix-sdk-common = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-common" }
 matrix-sdk-crypto = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-crypto" }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "rand", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "rand", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
 vodozemac = { git = "https://github.com/matrix-org/vodozemac/", rev = "2404f83f7d3a3779c1f518e4d949f7da9677c3dd", features = ["js"] }
 wasm-bindgen = "0.2.80"
 wasm-bindgen-futures = "0.4.30"
diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/Cargo.toml b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/Cargo.toml
index 3814efa31..cf11d92a8 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/Cargo.toml
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ tracing = ["dep:tracing-subscriber"]
 matrix-sdk-crypto = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-crypto" }
 matrix-sdk-common = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-common" }
 matrix-sdk-sled = { version = "0.1.0", path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-sled", default-features = false, features = ["crypto-store"] }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "rand", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "rand", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
 vodozemac = {  git = "https://github.com/matrix-org/vodozemac/", rev = "2404f83f7d3a3779c1f518e4d949f7da9677c3dd" }
 napi = { git = "https://github.com/Hywan/napi-rs", branch = "fix-napi-strict-on-t-and-ref-t", default-features = false, features = ["napi6", "tokio_rt"] }
 napi-derive = { git = "https://github.com/Hywan/napi-rs", branch = "fix-napi-strict-on-t-and-ref-t" }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-appservice/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-appservice/Cargo.toml
index 0b9c3e981..2e83abe34 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-appservice/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-appservice/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ http = "0.2.6"
 matrix-sdk = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk", default-features = false, features = ["appservice"] }
 percent-encoding = "2.1.0"
 regex = "1.5.5"
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "appservice-api-s"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "appservice-api-s"] }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
 serde_yaml = "0.8.23"
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-base/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-base/Cargo.toml
index 9836e0a8a..4ce3c1aba 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-base/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-base/Cargo.toml
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ tracing = "0.1.34"
 zeroize = { version = "1.3.0", features = ["zeroize_derive"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")'.dependencies]
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "canonical-json"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "canonical-json"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))'.dependencies]
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "canonical-json"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "canonical-json"] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 futures = { version = "0.3.21", default-features = false, features = ["executor"] }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-common/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-common/Cargo.toml
index 5256a7319..25df7cf46 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-common/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-common/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ default-target = "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu"
 targets = ["x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu", "wasm32-unknown-unknown"]
 
 [dependencies]
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c"] }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 
 [target.'cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")'.dependencies]
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/Cargo.toml
index 298da5589..7bcaad51a 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-crypto/Cargo.toml
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ zeroize = { version = "1.3.0", features = ["zeroize_derive"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))'.dependencies]
 tokio = { version = "1.18", default-features = false, features = ["time"] }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "rand", "canonical-json", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "rand", "canonical-json", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
 vodozemac = { git = "https://github.com/matrix-org/vodozemac/", rev = "2404f83f7d3a3779c1f518e4d949f7da9677c3dd" }
 
 [target.'cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")'.dependencies]
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "rand", "canonical-json", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c", "js", "rand", "canonical-json", "unstable-msc2676", "unstable-msc2677"] }
 vodozemac = { git = "https://github.com/matrix-org/vodozemac/", rev = "2404f83f7d3a3779c1f518e4d949f7da9677c3dd", features = ["js"] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-indexeddb/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-indexeddb/Cargo.toml
index 2663796cb..bb7dd577c 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-indexeddb/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-indexeddb/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ indexed_db_futures = "0.2.3"
 matrix-sdk-base = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-base" }
 matrix-sdk-crypto = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-crypto", optional = true }
 matrix-sdk-store-encryption = { version = "0.1.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-store-encryption" }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae" }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94" }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
 thiserror = "1.0.30"
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-qrcode/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-qrcode/Cargo.toml
index 552da61bd..5eebd52f7 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-qrcode/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-qrcode/Cargo.toml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ byteorder = "1.4.3"
 image = { version = "0.23.0", optional = true }
 qrcode = { version = "0.12.0", default-features = false }
 rqrr = { version = "0.4.0", optional = true }
-ruma-common = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae" }
+ruma-common = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94" }
 thiserror = "1.0.30"
 
 [dependencies.vodozemac]
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-sled/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-sled/Cargo.toml
index 32d33c1f8..b599f0c78 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-sled/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-sled/Cargo.toml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ matrix-sdk-base = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-base", optional = t
 matrix-sdk-common = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-common" }
 matrix-sdk-crypto = { version = "0.5.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-crypto", optional = true }
 matrix-sdk-store-encryption = { version = "0.1.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-store-encryption" }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae" }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94" }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
 sled = "0.34.7"
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-test/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk-test/Cargo.toml
index c3b00f4dd..0aa086062 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-test/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-test/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ appservice = []
 http = "0.2.6"
 matrix-sdk-test-macros = { version = "0.2.0", path = "../matrix-sdk-test-macros" }
 once_cell = "1.10.0"
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae", features = ["client-api-c"] }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94", features = ["client-api-c"] }
 serde = "1.0.136"
 serde_json = "1.0.79"
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/Cargo.toml b/crates/matrix-sdk/Cargo.toml
index d247ed14a..83ff36d96 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/Cargo.toml
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ default_features = false
 
 [dependencies.ruma]
 git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma"
-rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae"
+rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94"
 features = ["client-api-c", "compat", "rand", "unstable-msc2448"]
 
 [dependencies.ruma-client-api]
 git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma"
-rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae"
+rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94"
 features = ["unstable-msc2965"]
 
 [dependencies.tokio-stream]
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/common.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/common.rs
index 8be144f20..4eb66082a 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/common.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/common.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ impl Common {
     /// # let homeserver = Url::parse("http://example.com").unwrap();
     /// # use futures::executor::block_on;
     /// # block_on(async {
-    /// let request = MessagesOptions::backward("t47429-4392820_219380_26003_2265");
+    /// let request = MessagesOptions::backward_from("t47429-4392820_219380_26003_2265");
     ///
     /// let mut client = Client::new(homeserver).await.unwrap();
     /// let room = client
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ impl Common {
         let filter = assign!(RoomEventFilter::default(), {
             lazy_load_options: LazyLoadOptions::Enabled { include_redundant_members: false },
         });
-        let options = assign!(MessagesOptions::backward(token), {
+        let options = assign!(MessagesOptions::backward_from(token), {
             limit: uint!(10),
             filter,
         });
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@ impl Common {
 
 /// Options for [`messages`][Common::messages].
 ///
-/// See that method for details.
+/// See that method and <https://spec.matrix.org/v1.3/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv3roomsroomidmessages> for details.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 #[non_exhaustive]
 pub struct MessagesOptions<'a> {
@@ -1083,7 +1083,11 @@ pub struct MessagesOptions<'a> {
     /// This token can be obtained from a `prev_batch` token returned for each
     /// room from the sync API, or from a start or end token returned by a
     /// previous `messages` call.
-    pub from: &'a str,
+    ///
+    /// If `from` isn't provided the homeserver shall return a list of messages
+    /// from the first or last (per the value of the dir parameter) visible
+    /// event in the room history for the requesting user.
+    pub from: Option<&'a str>,
 
     /// The token to stop returning events at.
     ///
@@ -1105,27 +1109,40 @@ pub struct MessagesOptions<'a> {
 }
 
 impl<'a> MessagesOptions<'a> {
-    /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given start token and direction.
+    /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given direction.
     ///
     /// All other parameters will be defaulted.
-    pub fn new(from: &'a str, dir: Direction) -> Self {
-        Self { from, to: None, dir, limit: uint!(10), filter: RoomEventFilter::default() }
+    pub fn new(dir: Direction) -> Self {
+        Self { from: None, to: None, dir, limit: uint!(10), filter: RoomEventFilter::default() }
+    }
+
+    /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given optional start token, and `dir`
+    /// set to `Backward`.
+    pub fn backward(from: Option<&'a str>) -> Self {
+        assign!(Self::new(Direction::Backward), { from })
     }
 
     /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given start token, and `dir` set to
     /// `Backward`.
-    pub fn backward(from: &'a str) -> Self {
-        Self::new(from, Direction::Backward)
+    pub fn backward_from(from: &'a str) -> Self {
+        Self::backward(Some(from))
+    }
+
+    /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given optional start token, and `dir`
+    /// set to `Forward`.
+    pub fn forward(from: Option<&'a str>) -> Self {
+        assign!(Self::new(Direction::Forward), { from })
     }
 
     /// Creates `MessagesOptions` with the given start token, and `dir` set to
     /// `Forward`.
-    pub fn forward(from: &'a str) -> Self {
-        Self::new(from, Direction::Forward)
+    pub fn forward_from(from: &'a str) -> Self {
+        Self::forward(Some(from))
     }
 
     fn into_request(self, room_id: &'a RoomId) -> get_message_events::v3::Request<'_> {
-        assign!(get_message_events::v3::Request::new(room_id, Some(self.from), self.dir), {
+        assign!(get_message_events::v3::Request::new(room_id, self.dir), {
+            from: self.from,
             to: self.to,
             limit: self.limit,
             filter: self.filter,
diff --git a/labs/sled-state-inspector/Cargo.toml b/labs/sled-state-inspector/Cargo.toml
index 3255f6c0f..69b330f8b 100644
--- a/labs/sled-state-inspector/Cargo.toml
+++ b/labs/sled-state-inspector/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ clap = "3.2.4"
 futures = { version = "0.3.21", default-features = false, features = ["executor"] }
 matrix-sdk-base = { path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-base", version = "0.5.0" }
 matrix-sdk-sled = { path = "../../crates/matrix-sdk-sled", version = "0.1.0" }
-ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "7ec599e83d8ba6b2ace9e4fe184fc7560b0ff6ae" }
+ruma = { git = "https://github.com/ruma/ruma", rev = "da5def6731efd698c63fd2ffdef5f3e1836bff94" }
 rustyline = "9.1.2"
 rustyline-derive = "0.6.0"
 serde = "1.0.136"