diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/filtering.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/filtering.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21ab25877
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/filtering.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix"
+)
+
+func isRoomFiltered(roomID string, filter *gomatrix.Filter, filterPart *gomatrix.FilterPart) bool {
+	if filter != nil {
+		if filter.Room.Rooms != nil && !hasValue(roomID, filter.Room.Rooms) {
+			return true
+		}
+		if filter.Room.NotRooms != nil && hasValue(roomID, filter.Room.NotRooms) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	if filterPart != nil {
+		if filterPart.Rooms != nil && !hasValue(roomID, filterPart.Rooms) {
+			return true
+		}
+		if filterPart.NotRooms != nil && hasValue(roomID, filterPart.NotRooms) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func hasValue(value string, list []string) bool {
+	for i := range list {
+		if list[i] == value {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/syncserver.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/syncserver.go
index d132cefd6..36b10e156 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/syncserver.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/storage/syncserver.go
@@ -245,9 +245,11 @@ func (d *SyncServerDatabase) IncrementalSync(
 
 	res := types.NewResponse(toPos)
 	for _, delta := range deltas {
-		err = d.addRoomDeltaToResponse(ctx, &device, txn, fromPos, toPos, delta, filter, res)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		if !isRoomFiltered(delta.roomID, filter, &filter.Room.Timeline) {
+			err = d.addRoomDeltaToResponse(ctx, &device, txn, fromPos, toPos, delta, filter, res)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -295,7 +297,7 @@ func (d *SyncServerDatabase) CompleteSync(
 		jr := types.NewJoinResponse()
 
 		//Join response should contain events only if room isn't filtered
-		if !isRoomFiltered(filter, roomID) {
+		if !isRoomFiltered(roomID, filter, &filter.Room.Timeline) {
 			// Timeline events
 			var recentStreamEvents []streamEvent
 			var limited bool
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/request.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/request.go
index 92bc79e3e..42494b9b5 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/request.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/request.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const defaultSyncTimeout = time.Duration(30) * time.Second
-const defaultTimelineLimit = 20
 
 // syncRequest represents a /sync request, with sensible defaults/sanity checks applied.
 type syncRequest struct {
diff --git a/vendor/src/github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix/filter.go b/vendor/src/github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix/filter.go
index 43ff1c773..820f44f0c 100644
--- a/vendor/src/github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix/filter.go
+++ b/vendor/src/github.com/matrix-org/gomatrix/filter.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func defaultFilterPart() FilterPart {
 	return FilterPart{
 		NotRooms:   nil,
 		Rooms:      nil,
-		Limit:      100, //TODO check this on synapse
+		Limit:      20,
 		NotSenders: nil,
 		NotTypes:   nil,
 		Senders:    nil,