diff --git a/src/matrix/room/ObservedEventMap.js b/src/matrix/room/ObservedEventMap.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1e21df63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/matrix/room/ObservedEventMap.js
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+/*
+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.
+*/
+
+import {BaseObservableValue} from "../../observable/ObservableValue.js";
+
+export class ObservedEventMap {
+    constructor(notifyEmpty) {
+        this._map = new Map();
+        this._notifyEmpty = notifyEmpty;
+    }
+
+    observe(eventId, eventEntry = null) {
+        let observable = this._map.get(eventId);
+        if (!observable) {
+            observable = new ObservedEvent(this, eventEntry);
+            this._map.set(eventId, observable);
+        }
+        return observable;
+    }
+
+    updateEvents(eventEntries) {
+        for (let i = 0; i < eventEntries.length; i += 1) {
+            const entry = eventEntries[i];
+            const observable = this._map.get(entry.id);
+            observable?.update(entry);
+        }
+    }
+
+    _remove(observable) {
+        this._map.delete(observable.get().id);
+        if (this._map.size === 0) {
+            this._notifyEmpty();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+class ObservedEvent extends BaseObservableValue {
+    constructor(eventMap, entry) {
+        super();
+        this._eventMap = eventMap;
+        this._entry = entry;
+        // remove subscription in microtask after creating it
+        // otherwise ObservedEvents would easily never get
+        // removed if you never subscribe
+        Promise.resolve().then(() => {
+            if (!this.hasSubscriptions) {
+                this._eventMap.remove(this);
+                this._eventMap = null;
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    subscribe(handler) {
+        if (!this._eventMap) {
+            throw new Error("ObservedEvent expired, subscribe right after calling room.observeEvent()");
+        }
+        return super.subscribe(handler);
+    }
+
+    onUnsubscribeLast() {
+        this._eventMap._remove(this);
+        this._eventMap = null;
+        super.onUnsubscribeLast();
+    }
+
+    update(entry) {
+        // entries are mostly updated in-place,
+        // apart from when they are created,
+        // but doesn't hurt to reassign
+        this._entry = entry;
+        this.emit(this._entry);
+    }
+
+    get() {
+        return this._entry;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/Room.js b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
index f12da45b..b2d2b635 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/Room.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ import {Heroes} from "./members/Heroes.js";
 import {EventEntry} from "./timeline/entries/EventEntry.js";
 import {EventKey} from "./timeline/EventKey.js";
 import {Direction} from "./timeline/Direction.js";
+import {ObservedEventMap} from "./ObservedEventMap.js";
 import {DecryptionSource} from "../e2ee/common.js";
-
 const EVENT_ENCRYPTED_TYPE = "m.room.encrypted";
 
 export class Room extends EventEmitter {
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export class Room extends EventEmitter {
         this._roomEncryption = null;
         this._getSyncToken = getSyncToken;
         this._clock = clock;
+        this._observedEvents = null;
     }
 
     _readRetryDecryptCandidateEntries(sinceEventKey, txn) {
@@ -165,6 +166,9 @@ export class Room extends EventEmitter {
             }
             await writeTxn.complete();
             decryption.applyToEntries(entries);
+            if (this._observedEvents) {
+                this._observedEvents.updateEvents(entries);
+            }
         });
         return request;
     }
@@ -285,6 +289,9 @@ export class Room extends EventEmitter {
         if (this._timeline) {
             this._timeline.appendLiveEntries(newTimelineEntries);
         }
+        if (this._observedEvents) {
+            this._observedEvents.updateEvents(newTimelineEntries);
+        }
         if (removedPendingEvents) {
             this._sendQueue.emitRemovals(removedPendingEvents);
         }
@@ -580,6 +587,45 @@ export class Room extends EventEmitter {
         this._summary.applyChanges(changes);
     }
 
+    observeEvent(eventId) {
+        if (!this._observedEvents) {
+            this._observedEvents = new ObservedEventMap(() => {
+                this._observedEvents = null;
+            });
+        }
+        let entry = null;
+        if (this._timeline) {
+            entry = this._timeline.getByEventId(eventId);
+        }
+        const observable = this._observedEvents.observe(eventId, entry);
+        if (!entry) {
+            // update in the background
+            this._readEventById(eventId).then(entry => {
+                observable.update(entry);
+            }).catch(err => {
+                console.warn(`could not load event ${eventId} from storage`, err);
+            });
+        }
+        return observable;
+    }
+
+    async _readEventById(eventId) {
+        let stores = [this._storage.storeNames.timelineEvents];
+        if (this.isEncrypted) {
+            stores.push(this._storage.storeNames.inboundGroupSessions);
+        }
+        const txn = this._storage.readTxn(stores);
+        const storageEntry = await txn.timelineEvents.getByEventId(this._roomId, eventId);
+        if (storageEntry) {
+            const entry = new EventEntry(storageEntry, this._fragmentIdComparer);
+            if (entry.eventType === EVENT_ENCRYPTED_TYPE) {
+                const request = this._decryptEntries(DecryptionSource.Timeline, [entry], txn);
+                await request.complete();
+            }
+            return entry;
+        }
+    }
+
     dispose() {
         this._roomEncryption?.dispose();
         this._timeline?.dispose();
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/timeline/Timeline.js b/src/matrix/room/timeline/Timeline.js
index 8cad17a1..1b7c8a18 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/timeline/Timeline.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/timeline/Timeline.js
@@ -95,6 +95,15 @@ export class Timeline {
         }
     }
 
+    getByEventId(eventId) {
+        for (let i = 0; i < this._remoteEntries.length; i += 1) {
+            const entry = this._remoteEntries.get(i);
+            if (entry.id === eventId) {
+                return entry;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /** @public */
     get entries() {
         return this._allEntries;
diff --git a/src/observable/BaseObservable.js b/src/observable/BaseObservable.js
index 660f3200..29387020 100644
--- a/src/observable/BaseObservable.js
+++ b/src/observable/BaseObservable.js
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ export class BaseObservable {
         return null;
     }
 
+    get hasSubscriptions() {
+        return this._handlers.size !== 0;
+    }
+
     // Add iterator over handlers here
 }