diff --git a/synapse/storage/stream.py b/synapse/storage/stream.py
index 3a67baa261..895a61fbc1 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/stream.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/stream.py
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ class StreamStore(SQLBaseStore):
         if rows:
             topo = rows[0]["topological_ordering"]
             toke = rows[0]["stream_ordering"]
-            start_token = "p%s-%s" % (topo, toke)
+            start_token = "t%s-%s" % (topo, toke)
 
             token = (start_token, end_token)
         else: