diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
index c25a76d215..263e42dded 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -354,12 +354,24 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 since_key = since_token.room_key
 
             while limited and len(recents) < timeline_limit and max_repeat:
-                events, end_key = yield self.store.get_room_events_stream_for_room(
-                    room_id,
-                    limit=load_limit + 1,
-                    from_key=since_key,
-                    to_key=end_key,
-                )
+                # If we have a since_key then we are trying to get any events
+                # that have happened since `since_key` up to `end_key`, so we
+                # can just use `get_room_events_stream_for_room`.
+                # Otherwise, we want to return the last N events in the room
+                # in toplogical ordering.
+                if since_key:
+                    events, end_key = yield self.store.get_room_events_stream_for_room(
+                        room_id,
+                        limit=load_limit + 1,
+                        from_key=since_key,
+                        to_key=end_key,
+                    )
+                else:
+                    events, end_key = yield self.store.get_recent_events_for_room(
+                        room_id,
+                        limit=load_limit + 1,
+                        end_token=end_key,
+                    )
                 loaded_recents = sync_config.filter_collection.filter_room_timeline(
                     events
                 )
diff --git a/synapse/storage/stream.py b/synapse/storage/stream.py
index 4f5bff973e..ea24710ad8 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/stream.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/stream.py
@@ -233,52 +233,49 @@ class StreamWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_room_events_stream_for_room(self, room_id, from_key, to_key, limit=0,
                                         order='DESC'):
-        # Note: If from_key is None then we return in topological order. This
-        # is because in that case we're using this as a "get the last few messages
-        # in a room" function, rather than "get new messages since last sync"
-        if from_key is not None:
-            from_id = RoomStreamToken.parse_stream_token(from_key).stream
-        else:
-            from_id = None
-        to_id = RoomStreamToken.parse_stream_token(to_key).stream
 
+        """Get new room events in stream ordering since `from_key`.
+
+        Args:
+            room_id (str)
+            from_key (str): Token from which no events are returned before
+            to_key (str): Token from which no events are returned after. (This
+                is typically the current stream token)
+            limit (int): Maximum number of events to return
+            order (str): Either "DESC" or "ASC". Determines which events are
+                returned when the result is limited. If "DESC" then the most
+                recent `limit` events are returned, otherwise returns the
+                oldest `limit` events.
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[tuple[list[FrozenEvent], str]]: Returns the list of
+            events (in ascending order) and the token from the start of
+            the chunk of events returned.
+        """
         if from_key == to_key:
             defer.returnValue(([], from_key))
 
-        if from_id:
-            has_changed = yield self._events_stream_cache.has_entity_changed(
-                room_id, from_id
-            )
+        from_id = RoomStreamToken.parse_stream_token(from_key).stream
+        to_id = RoomStreamToken.parse_stream_token(to_key).stream
 
-            if not has_changed:
-                defer.returnValue(([], from_key))
+        has_changed = yield self._events_stream_cache.has_entity_changed(
+            room_id, from_id
+        )
+
+        if not has_changed:
+            defer.returnValue(([], from_key))
 
         def f(txn):
-            if from_id is not None:
-                sql = (
-                    "SELECT event_id, stream_ordering FROM events WHERE"
-                    " room_id = ?"
-                    " AND not outlier"
-                    " AND stream_ordering > ? AND stream_ordering <= ?"
-                    " ORDER BY stream_ordering %s LIMIT ?"
-                ) % (order,)
-                txn.execute(sql, (room_id, from_id, to_id, limit))
-
-                rows = [_EventDictReturn(row[0], None, row[1]) for row in txn]
-            else:
-                sql = (
-                    "SELECT event_id, topological_ordering, stream_ordering"
-                    " FROM events"
-                    " WHERE"
-                    " room_id = ?"
-                    " AND not outlier"
-                    " AND stream_ordering <= ?"
-                    " ORDER BY topological_ordering %s, stream_ordering %s LIMIT ?"
-                ) % (order, order,)
-                txn.execute(sql, (room_id, to_id, limit))
-
-                rows = [_EventDictReturn(row[0], row[1], row[2]) for row in txn]
+            sql = (
+                "SELECT event_id, stream_ordering FROM events WHERE"
+                " room_id = ?"
+                " AND not outlier"
+                " AND stream_ordering > ? AND stream_ordering <= ?"
+                " ORDER BY stream_ordering %s LIMIT ?"
+            ) % (order,)
+            txn.execute(sql, (room_id, from_id, to_id, limit))
 
+            rows = [_EventDictReturn(row[0], None, row[1]) for row in txn]
             return rows
 
         rows = yield self.runInteraction("get_room_events_stream_for_room", f)
@@ -393,7 +390,7 @@ class StreamWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         if limit == 0:
             defer.returnValue(([], end_token))
 
-        end_token = RoomStreamToken.parse_stream_token(end_token)
+        end_token = RoomStreamToken.parse(end_token)
 
         rows, token = yield self.runInteraction(
             "get_recent_event_ids_for_room", self._paginate_room_events_txn,