diff --git a/synapse/api/streams/__init__.py b/synapse/api/streams/__init__.py
index 44f4cc6078..d831eafbab 100644
--- a/synapse/api/streams/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/api/streams/__init__.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class PaginationConfig(object):
     @classmethod
     def from_request(cls, request, raise_invalid_params=True):
         params = {
+            "from_tok": "END",
             "direction": 'f',
         }