diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
index 0c3df8400..5d4c22480 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/mod.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ use ruma::{
 use tokio::{
     sync::{
         broadcast::{error::RecvError, Receiver, Sender},
-        Mutex, Notify, RwLock, RwLockReadGuard,
+        Mutex, Notify, RwLock, RwLockReadGuard, RwLockWriteGuard,
     },
     time::timeout,
 };
@@ -249,13 +249,14 @@ impl EventCache {
         // We could have received events during a previous sync; remove them all, since
         // we can't know where to insert the "initial events" with respect to
         // them.
-        room_cache.inner.events.write().await.reset();
+        // let mut room_events = room_cache.inner.events.write().await;
+        // room_events.reset();
 
-        let _ = room_cache.inner.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Clear);
+        // let _ = room_cache.inner.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Clear);
 
         room_cache
             .inner
-            .append_events(
+            .replace_all_events_by(
                 events,
                 prev_batch,
                 Default::default(),
@@ -482,26 +483,30 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
             // Ideally we'd try to reconcile existing events against those received in the
             // timeline, but we're not there yet. In the meanwhile, clear the
             // items from the room. TODO: implement Smart Matching™.
-            trace!("limited timeline, clearing all previous events");
+            trace!("limited timeline, clearing all previous events and pushing new events");
 
-            // Clear internal state (events, pagination tokens, etc.).
-            self.events.write().await.reset();
+            self.replace_all_events_by(
+                timeline.events,
+                timeline.prev_batch,
+                account_data,
+                ephemeral,
+                ambiguity_changes,
+            )
+            .await?;
+        } else {
+            // Add all the events to the backend.
+            trace!("adding new events");
 
-            // Propagate to observers.
-            let _ = self.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Clear);
+            self.append_new_events(
+                timeline.events,
+                timeline.prev_batch,
+                account_data,
+                ephemeral,
+                ambiguity_changes,
+            )
+            .await?;
         }
 
-        // Add all the events to the backend.
-        trace!("adding new events");
-        self.append_events(
-            timeline.events,
-            timeline.prev_batch,
-            account_data,
-            ephemeral,
-            ambiguity_changes,
-        )
-        .await?;
-
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -511,15 +516,71 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    // Remove existing events, and append a set of events to the room cache and
+    // storage, notifying observers.
+    async fn replace_all_events_by(
+        &self,
+        events: Vec<SyncTimelineEvent>,
+        prev_batch: Option<String>,
+        account_data: Vec<Raw<AnyRoomAccountDataEvent>>,
+        ephemeral: Vec<Raw<AnySyncEphemeralRoomEvent>>,
+        ambiguity_changes: BTreeMap<OwnedEventId, AmbiguityChange>,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        // Acquire the lock.
+        let mut room_events = self.events.write().await;
+
+        // Reset the events.
+        room_events.reset();
+
+        // Propagate to observers.
+        let _ = self.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::Clear);
+
+        // Push the new events.
+        self.append_events_locked_impl(
+            room_events,
+            events,
+            prev_batch,
+            account_data,
+            ephemeral,
+            ambiguity_changes,
+        )
+        .await
+    }
+
     /// Append a set of events to the room cache and storage, notifying
     /// observers.
-    async fn append_events(
+    async fn append_new_events(
         &self,
         events: Vec<SyncTimelineEvent>,
         prev_batch: Option<String>,
         account_data: Vec<Raw<AnyRoomAccountDataEvent>>,
         ephemeral: Vec<Raw<AnySyncEphemeralRoomEvent>>,
         ambiguity_changes: BTreeMap<OwnedEventId, AmbiguityChange>,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        self.append_events_locked_impl(
+            self.events.write().await,
+            events,
+            prev_batch,
+            account_data,
+            ephemeral,
+            ambiguity_changes,
+        )
+        .await
+    }
+
+    /// Append a set of events, with an attached lock.
+    ///
+    /// If the lock `room_events` is `None`, one will be created.
+    ///
+    /// This is a private implementation. It must not be exposed publicly.
+    async fn append_events_locked_impl(
+        &self,
+        mut room_events: RwLockWriteGuard<'_, RoomEvents>,
+        events: Vec<SyncTimelineEvent>,
+        prev_batch: Option<String>,
+        account_data: Vec<Raw<AnyRoomAccountDataEvent>>,
+        ephemeral: Vec<Raw<AnySyncEphemeralRoomEvent>>,
+        ambiguity_changes: BTreeMap<OwnedEventId, AmbiguityChange>,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         if events.is_empty()
             && prev_batch.is_none()
@@ -533,8 +594,6 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
         // Add the previous back-pagination token (if present), followed by the timeline
         // events themselves.
         {
-            let mut room_events = self.events.write().await;
-
             if let Some(prev_token) = &prev_batch {
                 room_events.push_gap(Gap { prev_token: PaginationToken(prev_token.clone()) });
             }