diff --git a/lib/fake_matrix_api.dart b/lib/fake_matrix_api.dart
index f3281824..a37b70a6 100644
--- a/lib/fake_matrix_api.dart
+++ b/lib/fake_matrix_api.dart
@@ -1740,6 +1740,28 @@ class FakeMatrixApi extends BaseClient {
             'origin_server_ts': 1432735824653,
             'unsigned': {'age': 1234},
           },
+      '/client/v3/rooms/!localpart%3Aserver.abc/messages?dir=b&limit=1&filter=%7B%22types%22%3A%5B%22m.room.message%22%2C%22m.room.encrypted%22%2C%22m.sticker%22%2C%22m.call.invite%22%2C%22m.call.answer%22%2C%22m.call.reject%22%2C%22m.call.hangup%22%2C%22com.famedly.call.member%22%5D%7D':
+          (var req) => {
+                'start': 't47429-4392820_219380_26003_2265',
+                'end': 't47409-4357353_219380_26003_2265',
+                'chunk': [
+                  {
+                    'content': {
+                      'body': 'This is an example text message',
+                      'msgtype': 'm.text',
+                      'format': 'org.matrix.custom.html',
+                      'formatted_body':
+                          '<b>This is an example text message</b>',
+                    },
+                    'type': 'm.room.message',
+                    'event_id': '3143273582443PhrSn:example.org',
+                    'room_id': '!1234:example.com',
+                    'sender': '@example:example.org',
+                    'origin_server_ts': 1432735824653,
+                    'unsigned': {'age': 1234},
+                  },
+                ],
+              },
       '/client/v3/rooms/new_room_id/messages?from=emptyHistoryResponse&dir=b&limit=30&filter=%7B%22lazy_load_members%22%3Atrue%7D':
           (var req) => emptyHistoryResponse,
       '/client/v3/rooms/new_room_id/messages?from=1&dir=b&limit=30&filter=%7B%22lazy_load_members%22%3Atrue%7D':
diff --git a/lib/matrix_api_lite/model/event_types.dart b/lib/matrix_api_lite/model/event_types.dart
index 0e39bb5d..b99282ea 100644
--- a/lib/matrix_api_lite/model/event_types.dart
+++ b/lib/matrix_api_lite/model/event_types.dart
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ abstract class EventTypes {
       'org.matrix.call.asserted_identity';
   static const String Unknown = 'm.unknown';
 
+  /// An internal event type indicating that the last event in the room for
+  /// a room list preview is currently being refreshed.
+  static const String refreshingLastEvent = 'com.famedly.refreshing_last_event';
+
   // To device event types
   static const String RoomKey = 'm.room_key';
   static const String ForwardedRoomKey = 'm.forwarded_room_key';
diff --git a/lib/src/client.dart b/lib/src/client.dart
index 22a7b922..5d0c0453 100644
--- a/lib/src/client.dart
+++ b/lib/src/client.dart
@@ -2632,13 +2632,15 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
       final id = entry.key;
       final syncRoomUpdate = entry.value;
 
+      final room = await _updateRoomsByRoomUpdate(id, syncRoomUpdate);
+
       // Is the timeline limited? Then all previous messages should be
       // removed from the database!
       if (syncRoomUpdate is JoinedRoomUpdate &&
           syncRoomUpdate.timeline?.limited == true) {
         await database.deleteTimelineForRoom(id);
+        room.lastEvent = null;
       }
-      final room = await _updateRoomsByRoomUpdate(id, syncRoomUpdate);
 
       final timelineUpdateType = direction != null
           ? (direction == Direction.b
@@ -2738,6 +2740,24 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
         Logs().d('Skip store LeftRoomUpdate for unknown room', id);
         continue;
       }
+
+      if (syncRoomUpdate is JoinedRoomUpdate &&
+          (room.lastEvent?.type == EventTypes.refreshingLastEvent ||
+              (syncRoomUpdate.timeline?.limited == true &&
+                  room.lastEvent == null))) {
+        room.lastEvent = Event(
+          originServerTs:
+              syncRoomUpdate.timeline?.events?.firstOrNull?.originServerTs ??
+                  DateTime.now(),
+          type: EventTypes.refreshingLastEvent,
+          content: {'body': 'Refreshing last event...'},
+          room: room,
+          eventId: generateUniqueTransactionId(),
+          senderId: userID!,
+        );
+        runInRoot(room.refreshLastEvent);
+      }
+
       await database.storeRoomUpdate(id, syncRoomUpdate, room.lastEvent, this);
     }
   }
@@ -3035,13 +3055,6 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
         }
         if (type != EventUpdateType.timeline) break;
 
-        // If last event is null or not a valid room preview event anyway,
-        // just use this:
-        if (room.lastEvent == null) {
-          room.lastEvent = event;
-          break;
-        }
-
         // Is this event redacting the last event?
         if (event.type == EventTypes.Redaction &&
             ({
diff --git a/lib/src/room.dart b/lib/src/room.dart
index 86ec752d..dd7c6825 100644
--- a/lib/src/room.dart
+++ b/lib/src/room.dart
@@ -377,6 +377,73 @@ class Room {
 
   Event? lastEvent;
 
+  /// Fetches the most recent event in the timeline from the server to have
+  /// a valid preview after receiving a limited timeline from the sync. Will
+  /// be triggered by the sync loop on demand. Multiple requests will be
+  /// combined to the same request.
+  Future<Event?> refreshLastEvent({
+    timeout = const Duration(seconds: 30),
+  }) async {
+    final lastEvent = _refreshingLastEvent ??= _refreshLastEvent();
+    _refreshingLastEvent = null;
+    return lastEvent;
+  }
+
+  Future<Event?>? _refreshingLastEvent;
+
+  Future<Event?> _refreshLastEvent({
+    timeout = const Duration(seconds: 30),
+  }) async {
+    if (membership != Membership.join) return null;
+
+    final filter = StateFilter(types: client.roomPreviewLastEvents.toList());
+    final result = await client
+        .getRoomEvents(
+          id,
+          Direction.b,
+          limit: 1,
+          filter: jsonEncode(filter.toJson()),
+        )
+        .timeout(timeout);
+    final matrixEvent = result.chunk.firstOrNull;
+    if (matrixEvent == null) {
+      if (lastEvent?.type == EventTypes.refreshingLastEvent) {
+        lastEvent = null;
+      }
+      Logs().d('No last event found for room', id);
+      return null;
+    }
+    var event = Event.fromMatrixEvent(
+      matrixEvent,
+      this,
+      status: EventStatus.synced,
+    );
+    if (event.type == EventTypes.Encrypted) {
+      final encryption = client.encryption;
+      if (encryption != null) {
+        event = await encryption.decryptRoomEvent(event);
+      }
+    }
+    lastEvent = event;
+
+    Logs().d('Refreshed last event for room', id);
+
+    // Trigger sync handling so that lastEvent gets stored and room list gets
+    // updated.
+    await _handleFakeSync(
+      SyncUpdate(
+        nextBatch: '',
+        rooms: RoomsUpdate(
+          join: {
+            id: JoinedRoomUpdate(timeline: TimelineUpdate(limited: false)),
+          },
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    return event;
+  }
+
   void setEphemeral(BasicEvent ephemeral) {
     ephemerals[ephemeral.type] = ephemeral;
     if (ephemeral.type == 'm.typing') {
@@ -443,8 +510,16 @@ class Room {
   String get displayname => getLocalizedDisplayname();
 
   /// When was the last event received.
-  DateTime get latestEventReceivedTime =>
-      lastEvent?.originServerTs ?? DateTime.now();
+  DateTime get latestEventReceivedTime {
+    final lastEventTime = lastEvent?.originServerTs;
+    if (lastEventTime != null) return lastEventTime;
+
+    if (membership == Membership.invite) return DateTime.now();
+    final createEvent = getState(EventTypes.RoomCreate);
+    if (createEvent is MatrixEvent) return createEvent.originServerTs;
+
+    return DateTime(0);
+  }
 
   /// Call the Matrix API to change the name of this room. Returns the event ID of the
   /// new m.room.name event.
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/event_localizations.dart b/lib/src/utils/event_localizations.dart
index a4fb76d8..4f19972e 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/event_localizations.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/event_localizations.dart
@@ -299,5 +299,6 @@ abstract class EventLocalizations {
                   ?.tryGet<String>('key') ??
               body,
         ),
+    EventTypes.refreshingLastEvent: (_, i18n, ___) => i18n.refreshingLastEvent,
   };
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/matrix_default_localizations.dart b/lib/src/utils/matrix_default_localizations.dart
index 9f5efc58..c9076777 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/matrix_default_localizations.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/matrix_default_localizations.dart
@@ -318,4 +318,7 @@ class MatrixDefaultLocalizations extends MatrixLocalizations {
         : '${duration.inMinutes.toString().padLeft(2, '0')}:${(duration.inSeconds % 60).toString().padLeft(2, '0')} ';
     return '$senderName: ${durationString}Voice message';
   }
+
+  @override
+  String get refreshingLastEvent => 'Refreshing last event...';
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/matrix_localizations.dart b/lib/src/utils/matrix_localizations.dart
index 921747f0..37c9672f 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/matrix_localizations.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/matrix_localizations.dart
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ abstract class MatrixLocalizations {
 
   String get cancelledSend;
 
+  String get refreshingLastEvent;
+
   String youInvitedBy(String senderName);
 
   String invitedBy(String senderName);
diff --git a/test/client_test.dart b/test/client_test.dart
index e38378a9..19773a1e 100644
--- a/test/client_test.dart
+++ b/test/client_test.dart
@@ -201,26 +201,26 @@ void main() {
         matrix.getDirectChatFromUserId('@bob:example.com'),
         '!726s6s6q:example.com',
       );
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].directChatMatrixID, '@bob:example.com');
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].directChatMatrixID, '@bob:example.com');
       expect(matrix.directChats, matrix.accountData['m.direct']?.content);
       // ignore: deprecated_member_use_from_same_package
       expect(matrix.presences.length, 1);
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].ephemerals.length, 2);
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].typingUsers.length, 1);
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].typingUsers[0].id, '@alice:example.com');
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].roomAccountData.length, 3);
-      expect(matrix.rooms[2].encrypted, true);
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].ephemerals.length, 2);
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].typingUsers.length, 1);
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].typingUsers[0].id, '@alice:example.com');
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].roomAccountData.length, 3);
+      expect(matrix.rooms[1].encrypted, true);
       expect(
-        matrix.rooms[2].encryptionAlgorithm,
+        matrix.rooms[1].encryptionAlgorithm,
         Client.supportedGroupEncryptionAlgorithms.first,
       );
       expect(
         matrix
-            .rooms[2].receiptState.global.otherUsers['@alice:example.com']?.ts,
+            .rooms[1].receiptState.global.otherUsers['@alice:example.com']?.ts,
         1436451550453,
       );
       expect(
-        matrix.rooms[2].receiptState.global.otherUsers['@alice:example.com']
+        matrix.rooms[1].receiptState.global.otherUsers['@alice:example.com']
             ?.eventId,
         '\$7365636s6r6432:example.com',
       );
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(inviteRoom.states[EventTypes.RoomMember]?.length, 1);
       expect(matrix.rooms.length, 3);
       expect(
-        matrix.rooms[2].canonicalAlias,
+        matrix.rooms[1].canonicalAlias,
         "#famedlyContactDiscovery:${matrix.userID!.split(":")[1]}",
       );
       expect(
diff --git a/test/room_test.dart b/test/room_test.dart
index e6963a4c..01fe4d20 100644
--- a/test/room_test.dart
+++ b/test/room_test.dart
@@ -883,6 +883,29 @@ void main() {
       expect(timeline.events.length, 17);
     });
 
+    test('Refresh last event', () async {
+      expect(room.lastEvent?.eventId, '12');
+      final lastEventUpdate =
+          room.client.onSync.stream.firstWhere((u) => u.nextBatch.isEmpty);
+      await room.client.handleSync(
+        SyncUpdate(
+          nextBatch: 'abcd',
+          rooms: RoomsUpdate(
+            join: {
+              room.id: JoinedRoomUpdate(
+                timeline: TimelineUpdate(
+                  events: [],
+                  limited: true,
+                ),
+              ),
+            },
+          ),
+        ),
+      );
+      await lastEventUpdate;
+      expect(room.lastEvent?.eventId, '3143273582443PhrSn:example.org');
+    });
+
     test('isFederated', () {
       expect(room.isFederated, true);
       room.setState(