diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
index e5af2a86b5..df74cf5de1 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
@@ -522,7 +522,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         UserActivity.start();
         Presence.start();
         cli.startClient({
-            pendingEventOrdering: "end"
+            pendingEventOrdering: "end",
+            // deliberately huge limit for now to avoid hitting gappy /sync's until gappy /sync performance improves
+            initialSyncLimit: 250,
         });
     },