diff --git a/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go b/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
index 31dc64c65..26f4ac305 100644
--- a/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
+++ b/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
@@ -262,6 +262,8 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) appendAccountData(
 			}
 			if len(res.RoomAccountData[roomID]) > 0 {
 				events = append(events, res.RoomAccountData[roomID]...)
+			} else if len(res.GlobalAccountData) > 0 {
+				events = append(events, res.GlobalAccountData...)
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/userapi/api/api.go b/userapi/api/api.go
index e210fd8d0..1578268ac 100644
--- a/userapi/api/api.go
+++ b/userapi/api/api.go
@@ -44,9 +44,12 @@ type QueryAccessTokenResponse struct {
 
 // QueryAccountDataRequest is the request for QueryAccountData
 type QueryAccountDataRequest struct {
-	UserID   string // required
-	RoomID   string // optional: if specified only returns room account data
-	DataType string // optional: if specified only returns data matching this type
+	UserID string // required: the user to get account data for.
+	// TODO: This is a terribly confusing API shape :/
+	DataType string // optional: if specified returns only a single event matching this data type.
+	// optional: Only used if DataType is set. If blank returns global account data matching the data type.
+	// If set, returns only room account data matching this data type.
+	RoomID string
 }
 
 // QueryAccountDataResponse is the response for QueryAccountData
diff --git a/userapi/internal/api.go b/userapi/internal/api.go
index 4cac60a79..6e737b81f 100644
--- a/userapi/internal/api.go
+++ b/userapi/internal/api.go
@@ -81,14 +81,20 @@ func (a *UserInternalAPI) QueryAccountData(ctx context.Context, req *api.QueryAc
 	if domain != a.ServerName {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot query account data of remote users: got %s want %s", domain, a.ServerName)
 	}
-	if req.DataType != "" && req.RoomID != "" {
+	if req.DataType != "" {
 		var event *gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent
 		event, err = a.AccountDB.GetAccountDataByType(ctx, local, req.RoomID, req.DataType)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		res.RoomAccountData = make(map[string][]gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent)
-		res.RoomAccountData[req.RoomID] = []gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent{*event}
+		if event != nil {
+			if req.RoomID != "" {
+				res.RoomAccountData = make(map[string][]gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent)
+				res.RoomAccountData[req.RoomID] = []gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent{*event}
+			} else {
+				res.GlobalAccountData = append(res.GlobalAccountData, *event)
+			}
+		}
 		return nil
 	}
 	global, rooms, err := a.AccountDB.GetAccountData(ctx, local)