diff --git a/src/matrix/Sync.js b/src/matrix/Sync.js
index 8588393d..2e1d577e 100644
--- a/src/matrix/Sync.js
+++ b/src/matrix/Sync.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2020 Bruno Windels <bruno@windels.cloud>
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 import {AbortError} from "./error.js";
 import {ObservableValue} from "../observable/ObservableValue.js";
 import {createEnum} from "../utils/enum.js";
+import {readPath, Type} from "../utils/validate.js";
 
 const INCREMENTAL_TIMEOUT = 30000;
 const SYNC_EVENT_LIMIT = 10;
@@ -43,6 +45,15 @@ function parseRooms(roomsSection, roomCallback) {
     return [];
 }
 
+function timelineIsEmpty(roomResponse) {
+    try {
+        const events = readPath(roomResponse, ["timeline", "events"], Type.Array);
+        return events.length === 0;
+    } catch (err) {
+        return true;
+    }
+}
+
 export class Sync {
     constructor({hsApi, session, storage}) {
         this._hsApi = hsApi;
@@ -102,6 +113,7 @@ export class Sync {
         const totalRequestTimeout = timeout + (80 * 1000);  // same as riot-web, don't get stuck on wedged long requests
         this._currentRequest = this._hsApi.sync(syncToken, syncFilterId, timeout, {timeout: totalRequestTimeout});
         const response = await this._currentRequest.response();
+        const isInitialSync = !syncToken;
         syncToken = response.next_batch;
         const storeNames = this._storage.storeNames;
         const syncTxn = await this._storage.readWriteTxn([
@@ -120,6 +132,11 @@ export class Sync {
             // presence
             if (response.rooms) {
                 const promises = parseRooms(response.rooms, async (roomId, roomResponse, membership) => {
+                    // ignore rooms with empty timelines during initial sync,
+                    // see https://github.com/vector-im/hydrogen-web/issues/15
+                    if (isInitialSync && timelineIsEmpty(roomResponse)) {
+                        return;
+                    }
                     let room = this._session.rooms.get(roomId);
                     if (!room) {
                         room = this._session.createRoom(roomId);
diff --git a/src/utils/validate.js b/src/utils/validate.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c185ad5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/validate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+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.
+*/
+
+export class InvalidPathError extends Error {
+    constructor(obj, path, field) {
+        super(`Could not read path ${path.join("/")}, stopped at ${field}. Base value is ${obj}`);
+    }
+
+    get name() {
+        return "InvalidPathError";
+    }
+}
+
+export class InvalidTypeError extends Error {
+    constructor(path, fieldValue, validator) {
+        super(`Value ${path.join("/")} is not of type ${getTypeName(validator)} but is: ${fieldValue}`);
+    }
+
+    get name() {
+        return "InvalidTypeError";
+    }
+}
+
+function getTypeName(validator) {
+    if (validator === Type.Array) {
+        return "Array";
+    }
+    if (validator === Type.Integer) {
+        return "Integer";
+    }
+    if (validator === Type.String) {
+        return "String";
+    }
+    if (validator === Type.Object) {
+        return "Object";
+    }
+    if (typeof validator === "function") {
+        return "Custom";
+    }
+    return "None";
+}
+
+export function readPath(obj, path, typeOrDefaultValue) {
+    if (!obj) {
+        throw new InvalidPathError(obj, path);
+    }
+    const hasDefaultValue = typeof typeOrDefaultValue !== "function"; 
+    let currentValue = obj;
+    for (const field of path) {
+        currentValue = currentValue[field];
+        if (typeof currentValue === "undefined") {
+            if (hasDefaultValue) {
+                return typeOrDefaultValue;
+            } else {
+                throw new InvalidPathError(obj, path, field);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if (!hasDefaultValue) {
+        const validator = typeOrDefaultValue;
+        if (!validator(currentValue)) {
+            throw new InvalidTypeError(path, currentValue, validator);
+        }
+    }
+    return currentValue;
+}
+
+export const Type = Object.freeze({
+    "Array": Array.isArray,
+    "Integer": Number.isSafeInteger,
+    "Boolean": value => value === true || value === false,
+    "String": value => typeof value === "string",
+    "Object": value => value !== null && typeof value === "object",
+});
+
+export function tests() {
+    return {
+        "readPath value at top level": assert => {
+            assert.strictEqual(readPath({a: 5}, ["a"]), 5);
+        },
+        "readPath value at deep level": assert => {
+            assert.strictEqual(readPath({a: {b: {c: 5}}}, ["a", "b", "c"]), 5);
+        },
+        "readPath value with correct type": assert => {
+            assert.strictEqual(readPath({a: 5}, ["a"], Type.Integer), 5);
+        },
+        "readPath value with failing type": assert => {
+            assert.throws(
+                () => readPath({a: 5}, ["a"], Type.String),
+                {name: "InvalidTypeError"}
+            );
+        },
+        "readPath value with failing path with intermediate field not being an object": assert => {
+            assert.throws(
+                () => readPath({a: {b: "bar"}}, ["a", "b", "c"], Type.Integer),
+                {name: "InvalidPathError"}
+            );
+        },
+        "readPath returns default value for incomplete path": assert => {
+            assert.strictEqual(readPath({a: {b: "bar"}}, ["a", "b", "c"], 5), 5);
+        },
+        
+    }
+}