diff --git a/src/domain/avatar.js b/src/domain/avatar.js
index 9184762b..f94ba3b2 100644
--- a/src/domain/avatar.js
+++ b/src/domain/avatar.js
@@ -15,18 +15,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 export function avatarInitials(name) {
-    let words = name.split(" ");
-    if (words.length === 1) {
-        words = words[0].split("-");
+    let firstChar = name.charAt(0);
+    if (firstChar === "!" || firstChar === "@" || firstChar === "#") {
+        firstChar = name.charAt(1);
     }
-    words = words.slice(0, 2);
-    return words.reduce((i, w) => {
-        let firstChar = w.charAt(0);
-        if (firstChar === "!" || firstChar === "@" || firstChar === "#") {
-            firstChar = w.charAt(1);
-        }
-        return i + firstChar.toUpperCase();
-    }, "");
+    return firstChar.toUpperCase();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/domain/session/roomlist/RoomTileViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/roomlist/RoomTileViewModel.js
index a638ebd4..9f527f65 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/roomlist/RoomTileViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/roomlist/RoomTileViewModel.js
@@ -45,8 +45,12 @@ export class RoomTileViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     compare(other) {
-        // sort by name for now
-        return this._room.name.localeCompare(other._room.name);
+        // sort alphabetically
+        const nameCmp = this._room.name.localeCompare(other._room.name);
+        if (nameCmp === 0) {
+            return this._room.id.localeCompare(other._room.id);
+        }
+        return nameCmp;
     }
 
     get isOpen() {
diff --git a/src/matrix/error.js b/src/matrix/error.js
index 6f7a200e..07144acd 100644
--- a/src/matrix/error.js
+++ b/src/matrix/error.js
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
+export class WrappedError extends Error {
+    constructor(message, cause) {
+        super(`${message}: ${cause.message}`);
+        this.cause = cause;
+    }
+
+    get name() {
+        return "WrappedError";
+    }
+}
+
 export class HomeServerError extends Error {
     constructor(method, url, body, status) {
         super(`${body ? body.error : status} on ${method} ${url}`);
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/Room.js b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
index 5f3b7cf5..1b038972 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/Room.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {GapWriter} from "./timeline/persistence/GapWriter.js";
 import {Timeline} from "./timeline/Timeline.js";
 import {FragmentIdComparer} from "./timeline/FragmentIdComparer.js";
 import {SendQueue} from "./sending/SendQueue.js";
+import {WrappedError} from "../error.js"
 
 export class Room extends EventEmitter {
 	constructor({roomId, storage, hsApi, emitCollectionChange, sendScheduler, pendingEvents, user}) {
@@ -67,8 +68,12 @@ export class Room extends EventEmitter {
     }
 
 	load(summary, txn) {
-		this._summary.load(summary);
-		return this._syncWriter.load(txn);
+        try {
+            this._summary.load(summary);
+            return this._syncWriter.load(txn);
+        } catch (err) {
+            throw new WrappedError(`Could not load room ${this._roomId}`, err);
+        }
 	}
 
     sendEvent(eventType, content) {