diff --git a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
index 9d293b4b7..7bfd94891 100644
--- a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
+++ b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
@@ -30,10 +30,14 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) CompleteSync(
 	req *types.SyncRequest,
 ) types.StreamPosition {
 	to := p.LatestPosition(ctx)
+	from := to - 20
+	if from < 0 {
+		from = 0
+	}
 
 	// Get the current sync position which we will base the sync response on.
 	r := types.Range{
-		From: 0,
+		From: from,
 		To:   to,
 	}
 
@@ -50,7 +54,7 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) CompleteSync(
 	for _, roomID := range joinedRoomIDs {
 		var jr *types.JoinResponse
 		jr, err = p.getJoinResponseForCompleteSync(
-			ctx, roomID, r, &stateFilter, 20, req.Device,
+			ctx, roomID, r, &stateFilter, req.Limit, req.Device,
 		)
 		if err != nil {
 			req.Log.WithError(err).Error("p.getJoinResponseForCompleteSync failed")
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) CompleteSync(
 		if !peek.Deleted {
 			var jr *types.JoinResponse
 			jr, err = p.getJoinResponseForCompleteSync(
-				ctx, peek.RoomID, r, &stateFilter, 20, req.Device,
+				ctx, peek.RoomID, r, &stateFilter, req.Limit, req.Device,
 			)
 			if err != nil {
 				req.Log.WithError(err).Error("p.getJoinResponseForCompleteSync failed")
@@ -80,7 +84,7 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) CompleteSync(
 		}
 	}
 
-	return p.LatestPosition(ctx)
+	return to
 }
 
 // nolint:gocyclo
diff --git a/syncapi/sync/request.go b/syncapi/sync/request.go
index dba5fff7f..5f89ffc33 100644
--- a/syncapi/sync/request.go
+++ b/syncapi/sync/request.go
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ func newSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device userapi.Device, syncDB storage.Dat
 		}
 	}
 
+	filter := gomatrixserverlib.DefaultEventFilter()
+	filter.Limit = timelineLimit
 	// TODO: Additional query params: set_presence, filter
 
 	logger := util.GetLogger(req.Context()).WithFields(logrus.Fields{
@@ -87,16 +89,16 @@ func newSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device userapi.Device, syncDB storage.Dat
 	})
 
 	return &types.SyncRequest{
-		Context:       req.Context(),                          //
-		Log:           logger,                                 //
-		Device:        &device,                                //
-		Response:      types.NewResponse(),                    // Populated by all streams
-		Filter:        gomatrixserverlib.DefaultEventFilter(), //
-		Since:         since,                                  //
-		Timeout:       timeout,                                //
-		Limit:         timelineLimit,                          //
-		Rooms:         make(map[string]string),                // Populated by the PDU stream
-		WantFullState: wantFullState,                          //
+		Context:       req.Context(),           //
+		Log:           logger,                  //
+		Device:        &device,                 //
+		Response:      types.NewResponse(),     // Populated by all streams
+		Filter:        filter,                  //
+		Since:         since,                   //
+		Timeout:       timeout,                 //
+		Limit:         timelineLimit,           //
+		Rooms:         make(map[string]string), // Populated by the PDU stream
+		WantFullState: wantFullState,           //
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go b/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
index c2f80b7f4..43ac01ec5 100644
--- a/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
+++ b/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
@@ -176,15 +176,21 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) OnIncomingSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device *userapi.
 			return giveup()
 
 		case <-rp.streams.PDUStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.PDUPosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after PDU")
 		case <-rp.streams.TypingStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.TypingPosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after typing notification")
 		case <-rp.streams.ReceiptStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.ReceiptPosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after read receipt")
 		case <-rp.streams.InviteStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.InvitePosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after invite")
 		case <-rp.streams.SendToDeviceStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.SendToDevicePosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after send-to-device message")
 		case <-rp.streams.AccountDataStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.AccountDataPosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after account data")
 		case <-rp.streams.DeviceListStreamProvider.NotifyAfter(waitctx, device, syncReq.Since.DeviceListPosition):
+			syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after device list update")
 		}
 
-		syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync after wakeup")
 		waitcancel()
 	} else {
 		syncReq.Log.Debugln("Responding to sync immediately")
@@ -311,6 +317,5 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) shouldReturnImmediately(syncReq *types.SyncRequest) bool
 	if syncReq.Since.IsEmpty() || syncReq.Timeout == 0 || syncReq.WantFullState {
 		return true
 	}
-	waiting, werr := rp.db.SendToDeviceUpdatesWaiting(context.TODO(), syncReq.Device.UserID, syncReq.Device.ID)
-	return werr == nil && waiting
+	return false
 }