diff --git a/src/models/event.ts b/src/models/event.ts
index 246390629..ba16939cc 100644
--- a/src/models/event.ts
+++ b/src/models/event.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { logger } from '../logger';
 import { VerificationRequest } from "../crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest";
 import { EventType, RelationType } from "../@types/event";
 import { Crypto } from "../crypto";
+import { deepSortedObjectEntries } from "../utils";
 
 /**
  * Enum for event statuses.
@@ -1176,6 +1177,45 @@ export class MatrixEvent extends EventEmitter {
         return this._isCancelled;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get a copy/snapshot of this event. The returned copy will be loosely linked
+     * back to this instance, though will have "frozen" event information. Other
+     * properties of this MatrixEvent instance will be copied verbatim, which can
+     * mean they are in reference to this instance despite being on the copy too.
+     * The reference the snapshot uses does not change, however members aside from
+     * the underlying event will not be deeply cloned, thus may be mutated internally.
+     * For example, the sender profile will be copied over at snapshot time, and
+     * the sender profile internally may mutate without notice to the consumer.
+     *
+     * This is meant to be used to snapshot the event details themselves, not the
+     * features (such as sender) surrounding the event.
+     * @returns {MatrixEvent} A snapshot of this event.
+     */
+    toSnapshot(): MatrixEvent {
+        const ev = new MatrixEvent(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this.event)));
+        for (const [p, v] of Object.entries(this)) {
+            if (p !== "event") { // exclude the thing we just cloned
+                ev[p] = v;
+            }
+        }
+        return ev;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Determines if this event is equivalent to the given event. This only checks
+     * the event object itself, not the other properties of the event. Intended for
+     * use with toSnapshot() to identify events changing.
+     * @param {MatrixEvent} otherEvent The other event to check against.
+     * @returns {boolean} True if the events are the same, false otherwise.
+     */
+    isEquivalentTo(otherEvent: MatrixEvent): boolean {
+        if (!otherEvent) return false;
+        if (otherEvent === this) return true;
+        const myProps = deepSortedObjectEntries(this.event);
+        const theirProps = deepSortedObjectEntries(otherEvent.event);
+        return JSON.stringify(myProps) === JSON.stringify(theirProps);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Summarise the event as JSON for debugging. If encrypted, include both the
      * decrypted and encrypted view of the event. This is named `toJSON` for use