diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier.go
index 457664e5e..4712a2c74 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier.go
@@ -108,11 +108,8 @@ func (n *Notifier) OnNewEvent(ev *gomatrixserverlib.Event, userID string, pos ty
 
 // GetListener returns a UserStreamListener that can be used to wait for
 // updates for a user. Must be closed.
-// sincePos specifies from which point we want to be notified about, i.e. don't
 // notify for anything before sincePos
-func (n *Notifier) GetListener(
-	req syncRequest, sincePos types.StreamPosition,
-) UserStreamListener {
+func (n *Notifier) GetListener(req syncRequest) UserStreamListener {
 	// Do what synapse does: https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/blob/v0.20.0/synapse/notifier.py#L298
 	// - Bucket request into a lookup map keyed off a list of joined room IDs and separately a user ID
 	// - Incoming events wake requests for a matching room ID
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@ func (n *Notifier) GetListener(
 
 	n.removeEmptyUserStreams()
 
-	return n.fetchUserStream(req.userID, true).GetListener(sincePos)
+	return n.fetchUserStream(req.userID, true).GetListener(req.ctx)
 }
 
 // Load the membership states required to notify users correctly.
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
index e087c51c8..6ee259681 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func TestNewEventAndWasPreviouslyJoinedToRoom(t *testing.T) {
 
 // same as Notifier.WaitForEvents but with a timeout.
 func waitForEvents(n *Notifier, req syncRequest) (types.StreamPosition, error) {
-	listener := n.GetListener(req, req.since)
+	listener := n.GetListener(req)
 	defer listener.Close()
 
 	select {
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func waitForEvents(n *Notifier, req syncRequest) (types.StreamPosition, error) {
 		return types.StreamPosition(0), fmt.Errorf(
 			"waitForEvents timed out waiting for %s (pos=%d)", req.userID, req.since,
 		)
-	case <-listener.GetNotifyChannel():
+	case <-listener.GetNotifyChannel(req.since):
 		p := listener.GetStreamPosition()
 		return p, nil
 	}
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
index aa9beef5f..7e8afb4c9 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
@@ -82,13 +82,13 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) OnIncomingSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device *authtype
 	timer := time.NewTimer(syncReq.timeout) // case of timeout=0 is handled above
 	defer timer.Stop()
 
-	userStream := rp.notifier.GetListener(*syncReq, currPos)
+	userStream := rp.notifier.GetListener(*syncReq)
 	defer userStream.Close()
 
 	for {
 		select {
 		// Wait for notifier to wake us up
-		case <-userStream.GetNotifyChannel():
+		case <-userStream.GetNotifyChannel(currPos):
 			currPos = userStream.GetStreamPosition()
 		// Or for timeout to expire
 		case <-timer.C:
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/userstream.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/userstream.go
index a3f2b4739..ef84816a0 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/userstream.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/userstream.go
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"runtime"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/types"
+	"github.com/matrix-org/util"
 )
 
 // UserStream represents a communication mechanism between the /sync request goroutine
@@ -42,7 +45,9 @@ type UserStream struct {
 // UserStreamListener allows a sync request to wait for updates for a user.
 type UserStreamListener struct {
 	*UserStream
-	sincePos types.StreamPosition
+
+	// Whether the stream has been closed
+	hasClosed bool
 }
 
 // NewUserStream creates a new user stream
@@ -57,18 +62,26 @@ func NewUserStream(userID string, currPos types.StreamPosition) *UserStream {
 
 // GetListener returns UserStreamListener that a sync request can use to wait
 // for new updates with.
-// sincePos specifies from which point we want to be notified about
 // UserStreamListener must be closed
-func (s *UserStream) GetListener(sincePos types.StreamPosition) UserStreamListener {
+func (s *UserStream) GetListener(ctx context.Context) UserStreamListener {
 	s.lock.Lock()
 	defer s.lock.Unlock()
 
 	s.numWaiting++ // We decrement when UserStreamListener is closed
 
-	return UserStreamListener{
+	listener := UserStreamListener{
 		UserStream: s,
-		sincePos:   sincePos,
 	}
+
+	// Lets be a bit paranoid here and check that Close() is being called
+	runtime.SetFinalizer(&listener, func(l *UserStreamListener) {
+		if !l.hasClosed {
+			util.GetLogger(ctx).Warn("Didn't call Close on UserStreamListener")
+			l.Close()
+		}
+	})
+
+	return listener
 }
 
 // Broadcast a new stream position for this user.
@@ -116,11 +129,12 @@ func (s *UserStream) GetStreamPosition() types.StreamPosition {
 
 // GetNotifyChannel returns a channel that is closed when there may be an
 // update for the user.
-func (s *UserStreamListener) GetNotifyChannel() <-chan struct{} {
+// sincePos specifies from which point we want to be notified about
+func (s *UserStreamListener) GetNotifyChannel(sincePos types.StreamPosition) <-chan struct{} {
 	s.lock.Lock()
 	defer s.lock.Unlock()
 
-	if s.sincePos < s.pos {
+	if sincePos < s.pos {
 		posChannel := make(chan struct{})
 		close(posChannel)
 		return posChannel
@@ -134,6 +148,10 @@ func (s *UserStreamListener) Close() {
 	s.lock.Lock()
 	defer s.lock.Unlock()
 
-	s.numWaiting--
-	s.timeOfLastChannel = time.Now()
+	if !s.hasClosed {
+		s.numWaiting--
+		s.timeOfLastChannel = time.Now()
+	}
+
+	s.hasClosed = true
 }