diff --git a/syncapi/storage/postgres/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go b/syncapi/storage/postgres/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
index 620b1dd6b..7582b1abe 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/postgres/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/postgres/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
@@ -34,6 +34,26 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 	return nil
 }
 
+// UpSetHistoryVisibility sets the history visibility for already stored events.
+func UpSetHistoryVisibility(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	// get the current room history visibilities
+	historyVisibilities, err := currentHistoryVisibilities(ctx, tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// update the history visibility
+	for roomID, hisVis := range historyVisibilities {
+		_, err = tx.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE syncapi_output_room_events SET history_visibility = $1 
+                        WHERE type IN ('m.room.message', 'm.room.encrypted') AND room_id = $2 AND history_visibility <> $1`, hisVis, roomID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to update history visibility: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
 	_, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `
 		ALTER TABLE syncapi_current_room_state ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS history_visibility SMALLINT NOT NULL DEFAULT 2;
@@ -43,13 +63,19 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute upgrade: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// get the current room history visibility
-	rows, err := tx.Query(`SELECT DISTINCT room_id, headered_event_json FROM syncapi_current_room_state
+	return nil
+}
+
+// currentHistoryVisibilities returns a map from roomID to current history visibility.
+// If the history visibility was changed after room creation, defaults to joined.
+func currentHistoryVisibilities(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) (map[string]gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibility, error) {
+	rows, err := tx.QueryContext(ctx, `SELECT DISTINCT room_id, headered_event_json FROM syncapi_current_room_state
 		WHERE type = 'm.room.history_visibility' AND state_key = '';
 `)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to query current room state: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to query current room state: %w", err)
 	}
+	defer rows.Close() // nolint: errcheck
 	var eventBytes []byte
 	var roomID string
 	var event gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
@@ -57,27 +83,17 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 	historyVisibilities := make(map[string]gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibility)
 	for rows.Next() {
 		if err = rows.Scan(&roomID, &eventBytes); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to scan row: %w", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan row: %w", err)
 		}
 		if err = json.Unmarshal(eventBytes, &event); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal event: %w", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal event: %w", err)
 		}
-		historyVisibilities[roomID] = gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibilityShared
-		if hisVis, err = event.HistoryVisibility(); err == nil {
+		historyVisibilities[roomID] = gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibilityJoined
+		if hisVis, err = event.HistoryVisibility(); err == nil && event.Depth() < 10 {
 			historyVisibilities[roomID] = hisVis
 		}
 	}
-
-	// update the history visibility
-	for roomID, hisVis = range historyVisibilities {
-		_, err = tx.Exec(`UPDATE syncapi_output_room_events SET history_visibility = $1 
-                        WHERE type IN ('m.room.message', 'm.room.encrypted') AND room_id = $2`, hisVis, roomID)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to update history visibility: %w", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return historyVisibilities, nil
 }
 
 func DownAddHistoryVisibilityColumn(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/postgres/output_room_events_table.go b/syncapi/storage/postgres/output_room_events_table.go
index 34ff6700f..2a2c664f5 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/postgres/output_room_events_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/postgres/output_room_events_table.go
@@ -191,10 +191,16 @@ func NewPostgresEventsTable(db *sql.DB) (tables.Events, error) {
 	}
 
 	m := sqlutil.NewMigrator(db)
-	m.AddMigrations(sqlutil.Migration{
-		Version: "syncapi: add history visibility column (output_room_events)",
-		Up:      deltas.UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents,
-	})
+	m.AddMigrations(
+		sqlutil.Migration{
+			Version: "syncapi: add history visibility column (output_room_events)",
+			Up:      deltas.UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents,
+		},
+		sqlutil.Migration{
+			Version: "syncapi: set history visibility for existing events",
+			Up:      deltas.UpSetHistoryVisibility,
+		},
+	)
 	err = m.Up(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
index 04ddd7930..3fa879db4 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/deltas/2022061412000000_history_visibility_column.go
@@ -40,6 +40,26 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 	return nil
 }
 
+// UpSetHistoryVisibility sets the history visibility for already stored events.
+func UpSetHistoryVisibility(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	// get the current room history visibilities
+	historyVisibilities, err := currentHistoryVisibilities(ctx, tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// update the history visibility
+	for roomID, hisVis := range historyVisibilities {
+		_, err = tx.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE syncapi_output_room_events SET history_visibility = $1 
+                        WHERE type IN ('m.room.message', 'm.room.encrypted') AND room_id = $2 AND history_visibility <> $1`, hisVis, roomID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to update history visibility: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
 	// SQLite doesn't have "if exists", so check if the column exists. If the query doesn't return an error, it already exists.
 	// Required for unit tests, as otherwise a duplicate column error will show up.
@@ -55,13 +75,19 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute upgrade: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// get the current room history visibility
-	rows, err := tx.Query(`SELECT DISTINCT room_id, headered_event_json FROM syncapi_current_room_state
+	return nil
+}
+
+// currentHistoryVisibilities returns a map from roomID to current history visibility.
+// If the history visibility was changed after room creation, defaults to joined.
+func currentHistoryVisibilities(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) (map[string]gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibility, error) {
+	rows, err := tx.QueryContext(ctx, `SELECT DISTINCT room_id, headered_event_json FROM syncapi_current_room_state
 		WHERE type = 'm.room.history_visibility' AND state_key = '';
 `)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to query current room state: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to query current room state: %w", err)
 	}
+	defer rows.Close() // nolint: errcheck
 	var eventBytes []byte
 	var roomID string
 	var event gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
@@ -69,27 +95,17 @@ func UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnCurrentRoomState(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.T
 	historyVisibilities := make(map[string]gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibility)
 	for rows.Next() {
 		if err = rows.Scan(&roomID, &eventBytes); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to scan row: %w", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan row: %w", err)
 		}
 		if err = json.Unmarshal(eventBytes, &event); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal event: %w", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal event: %w", err)
 		}
-		historyVisibilities[roomID] = gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibilityShared
-		if hisVis, err = event.HistoryVisibility(); err == nil {
+		historyVisibilities[roomID] = gomatrixserverlib.HistoryVisibilityJoined
+		if hisVis, err = event.HistoryVisibility(); err == nil && event.Depth() < 10 {
 			historyVisibilities[roomID] = hisVis
 		}
 	}
-
-	// update the history visibility
-	for roomID, hisVis = range historyVisibilities {
-		_, err = tx.Exec(`UPDATE syncapi_output_room_events SET history_visibility = $1 
-                        WHERE type IN ('m.room.message', 'm.room.encrypted') AND room_id = $2`, hisVis, roomID)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to update history visibility: %w", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return historyVisibilities, nil
 }
 
 func DownAddHistoryVisibilityColumn(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/output_room_events_table.go b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/output_room_events_table.go
index de389fa9b..4f44d58b1 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/output_room_events_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/sqlite3/output_room_events_table.go
@@ -139,10 +139,16 @@ func NewSqliteEventsTable(db *sql.DB, streamID *StreamIDStatements) (tables.Even
 	}
 
 	m := sqlutil.NewMigrator(db)
-	m.AddMigrations(sqlutil.Migration{
-		Version: "syncapi: add history visibility column (output_room_events)",
-		Up:      deltas.UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents,
-	})
+	m.AddMigrations(
+		sqlutil.Migration{
+			Version: "syncapi: add history visibility column (output_room_events)",
+			Up:      deltas.UpAddHistoryVisibilityColumnOutputRoomEvents,
+		},
+		sqlutil.Migration{
+			Version: "syncapi: set history visibility for existing events",
+			Up:      deltas.UpSetHistoryVisibility,
+		},
+	)
 	err = m.Up(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err