diff --git a/lib/sync.js b/lib/sync.js
index f890fea50..36bd260ea 100644
--- a/lib/sync.js
+++ b/lib/sync.js
@@ -426,7 +426,122 @@ SyncApi.prototype._sync = function(syncOptions, attempt) {
         // - The isBrandNewRoom boilerplate is boilerplatey.
 
         try {
-            self._processSyncResponse(data);
+            // handle presence events (User objects)
+            if (data.presence && utils.isArray(data.presence.events)) {
+                data.presence.events.map(client.getEventMapper()).forEach(
+                function(presenceEvent) {
+                    var user = client.store.getUser(presenceEvent.getSender());
+                    if (user) {
+                        user.setPresenceEvent(presenceEvent);
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        user = createNewUser(client, presenceEvent.getSender());
+                        user.setPresenceEvent(presenceEvent);
+                        client.store.storeUser(user);
+                    }
+                    client.emit("event", presenceEvent);
+                });
+            }
+
+            // the returned json structure is abit crap, so make it into a
+            // nicer form (array) after applying sanity to make sure we don't fail
+            // on missing keys (on the off chance)
+            var inviteRooms = [];
+            var joinRooms = [];
+            var leaveRooms = [];
+
+            if (data.rooms) {
+                if (data.rooms.invite) {
+                    inviteRooms = self._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.invite);
+                }
+                if (data.rooms.join) {
+                    joinRooms = self._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.join);
+                }
+                if (data.rooms.leave) {
+                    leaveRooms = self._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.leave);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Handle invites
+            inviteRooms.forEach(function(inviteObj) {
+                var room = inviteObj.room;
+                var stateEvents =
+                    self._mapSyncEventsFormat(inviteObj.invite_state, room);
+                self._processRoomEvents(room, stateEvents);
+                if (inviteObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
+                    room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
+                    client.store.storeRoom(room);
+                    client.emit("Room", room);
+                }
+                stateEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+            });
+
+            // Handle joins
+            joinRooms.forEach(function(joinObj) {
+                var room = joinObj.room;
+                var stateEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.state, room);
+                var timelineEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.timeline, room);
+                var ephemeralEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.ephemeral);
+                var accountDataEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.account_data);
+
+                // we do this first so it's correct when any of the events fire
+                if (joinObj.unread_notifications) {
+                    room.setUnreadNotificationCount(
+                        'total', joinObj.unread_notifications.notification_count
+                    );
+                    room.setUnreadNotificationCount(
+                        'highlight', joinObj.unread_notifications.highlight_count
+                    );
+                }
+
+                joinObj.timeline = joinObj.timeline || {};
+
+                if (joinObj.timeline.limited) {
+                    // nuke the timeline so we don't get holes
+                    self._deregisterStateListeners(room);
+                    room.resetLiveTimeline();
+                    self._registerStateListeners(room);
+                }
+
+                // we want to set a new pagination token if this is the first time
+                // we've made this room or if we're nuking the timeline
+                var paginationToken = null;
+                if (joinObj.isBrandNewRoom || joinObj.timeline.limited) {
+                    paginationToken = joinObj.timeline.prev_batch;
+                }
+
+                self._processRoomEvents(
+                    room, stateEvents, timelineEvents, paginationToken
+                );
+
+                // XXX: should we be adding ephemeralEvents to the timeline?
+                // It feels like that for symmetry with room.addAccountData()
+                // there should be a room.addEphemeralEvents() or similar.
+                room.addEvents(ephemeralEvents);
+
+                // we deliberately don't add accountData to the timeline
+                room.addAccountData(accountDataEvents);
+
+                room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
+                if (joinObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
+                    client.store.storeRoom(room);
+                    client.emit("Room", room);
+                }
+                stateEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+                timelineEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+                ephemeralEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+                accountDataEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+            });
+
+            // Handle leaves
+            leaveRooms.forEach(function(leaveObj) {
+                // Do the bear minimum to register rejected invites / you leaving rooms
+                var room = leaveObj.room;
+                var timelineEvents =
+                    self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.timeline, room);
+                room.addEvents(timelineEvents);
+                timelineEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
+            });
         }
         catch (e) {
             console.error("Caught /sync error:");
@@ -475,128 +590,6 @@ SyncApi.prototype._sync = function(syncOptions, attempt) {
     });
 };
 
-SyncApi.prototype._processSyncResponse = function(data) {
-    var client = this.client;
-    var self = this;
-
-    // handle presence events (User objects)
-    if (data.presence && utils.isArray(data.presence.events)) {
-        data.presence.events.map(client.getEventMapper()).forEach(
-        function(presenceEvent) {
-            var user = client.store.getUser(presenceEvent.getSender());
-            if (user) {
-                user.setPresenceEvent(presenceEvent);
-            }
-            else {
-                user = createNewUser(client, presenceEvent.getSender());
-                user.setPresenceEvent(presenceEvent);
-                client.store.storeUser(user);
-            }
-            client.emit("event", presenceEvent);
-        });
-    }
-
-    // the returned json structure is abit crap, so make it into a
-    // nicer form (array) after applying sanity to make sure we don't fail
-    // on missing keys (on the off chance)
-    var inviteRooms = [];
-    var joinRooms = [];
-    var leaveRooms = [];
-
-    if (data.rooms) {
-        if (data.rooms.invite) {
-            inviteRooms = this._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.invite);
-        }
-        if (data.rooms.join) {
-            joinRooms = this._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.join);
-        }
-        if (data.rooms.leave) {
-            leaveRooms = this._mapSyncResponseToRoomArray(data.rooms.leave);
-        }
-    }
-
-    // Handle invites
-    inviteRooms.forEach(function(inviteObj) {
-        var room = inviteObj.room;
-        var stateEvents =
-            self._mapSyncEventsFormat(inviteObj.invite_state, room);
-        self._processRoomEvents(room, stateEvents);
-        if (inviteObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
-            room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
-            client.store.storeRoom(room);
-            client.emit("Room", room);
-        }
-        stateEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-    });
-
-    // Handle joins
-    joinRooms.forEach(function(joinObj) {
-        var room = joinObj.room;
-        var stateEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.state, room);
-        var timelineEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.timeline, room);
-        var ephemeralEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.ephemeral);
-        var accountDataEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(joinObj.account_data);
-
-        // we do this first so it's correct when any of the events fire
-        if (joinObj.unread_notifications) {
-            room.setUnreadNotificationCount(
-                'total', joinObj.unread_notifications.notification_count
-            );
-            room.setUnreadNotificationCount(
-                'highlight', joinObj.unread_notifications.highlight_count
-            );
-        }
-
-        joinObj.timeline = joinObj.timeline || {};
-
-        if (joinObj.timeline.limited) {
-            // nuke the timeline so we don't get holes
-            self._deregisterStateListeners(room);
-            room.resetLiveTimeline();
-            self._registerStateListeners(room);
-        }
-
-        // we want to set a new pagination token if this is the first time
-        // we've made this room or if we're nuking the timeline
-        var paginationToken = null;
-        if (joinObj.isBrandNewRoom || joinObj.timeline.limited) {
-            paginationToken = joinObj.timeline.prev_batch;
-        }
-
-        self._processRoomEvents(
-            room, stateEvents, timelineEvents, paginationToken
-        );
-
-        // XXX: should we be adding ephemeralEvents to the timeline?
-        // It feels like that for symmetry with room.addAccountData()
-        // there should be a room.addEphemeralEvents() or similar.
-        room.addEvents(ephemeralEvents);
-
-        // we deliberately don't add accountData to the timeline
-        room.addAccountData(accountDataEvents);
-
-        room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
-        if (joinObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
-            client.store.storeRoom(room);
-            client.emit("Room", room);
-        }
-        stateEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-        timelineEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-        ephemeralEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-        accountDataEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-    });
-
-    // Handle leaves
-    leaveRooms.forEach(function(leaveObj) {
-        // Do the bear minimum to register rejected invites / you leaving rooms
-        var room = leaveObj.room;
-        var timelineEvents =
-            self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.timeline, room);
-        room.addEvents(timelineEvents);
-        timelineEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
-    });
-};
-
 /**
  * @return {Promise}
  */