diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index ad06e39ee..df0f88ec5 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -742,6 +742,43 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.deleteRoomTag = function(roomId, tagName, callback) {
     );
 };
 
+/**
+ * @param {string} eventType event type to be set
+ * @param {object} content event content
+ * @param {module:client.callback} callback Optional.
+ * @return {module:client.Promise} Resolves: TODO
+ * @return {module:http-api.MatrixError} Rejects: with an error response.
+ */
+MatrixClient.prototype.setAccountData = function(eventType, content, callback) {
+    var path = utils.encodeUri("/user/$userId/account_data/$type", {
+        $userId: this.credentials.userId,
+        $type: eventType,
+    });
+    return this._http.authedRequestWithPrefix(
+        callback, "PUT", path, undefined, content, httpApi.PREFIX_V2_ALPHA
+    );
+};
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} roomId
+ * @param {string} eventType event type to be set
+ * @param {object} content event content
+ * @param {module:client.callback} callback Optional.
+ * @return {module:client.Promise} Resolves: TODO
+ * @return {module:http-api.MatrixError} Rejects: with an error response.
+ */
+MatrixClient.prototype.setRoomAccountData = function(roomId, eventType,
+                                                     content, callback) {
+    var path = utils.encodeUri("/user/$userId/rooms/$roomId/account_data/$type", {
+        $userId: this.credentials.userId,
+        $roomId: roomId,
+        $type: eventType,
+    });
+    return this._http.authedRequestWithPrefix(
+        callback, "PUT", path, undefined, content, httpApi.PREFIX_V2_ALPHA
+    );
+};
+
 /**
  * Set a user's power level.
  * @param {string} roomId
@@ -1810,7 +1847,7 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.setPresence = function(presence, callback) {
  * @return {module:http-api.MatrixError} Rejects: with an error response.
  */
 MatrixClient.prototype.publicRooms = function(callback) {
-    return this._http.request(callback, "GET", "/publicRooms");
+    return this._http.authedRequest(callback, "GET", "/publicRooms");
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/models/room.js b/lib/models/room.js
index 03fd00722..52f4d2241 100644
--- a/lib/models/room.js
+++ b/lib/models/room.js
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ function synthesizeReceipt(userId, event, receiptType) {
  * this room, with the oldest event at index 0.
  * @prop {object} tags Dict of room tags; the keys are the tag name and the values
  * are any metadata associated with the tag - e.g. { "fav" : { order: 1 } }
+ * @prop {object} accountData Dict of per-room account_data events; the keys are the
+ * event type and the values are the events.
  * @prop {RoomState} oldState The state of the room at the time of the oldest
  * event in the timeline.
  * @prop {RoomState} currentState The state of the room at the time of the
@@ -88,6 +90,9 @@ function Room(roomId, opts) {
         // $tagName: { $metadata: $value },
         // $tagName: { $metadata: $value },
     };
+    this.accountData = {
+        // $eventType: $event
+    };
     this.oldState = new RoomState(roomId);
     this.currentState = new RoomState(roomId);
     this.summary = null;
@@ -335,9 +340,8 @@ Room.prototype.addEvents = function(events, duplicateStrategy) {
         else if (events[i].getType() === "m.receipt") {
             this.addReceipt(events[i]);
         }
-        else if (events[i].getType() === "m.tag") {
-            this.addTags(events[i]);
-        }
+        // N.B. account_data is added directly by /sync to avoid
+        // having to maintain an event.isAccountData() here
         else {
             if (duplicateStrategy) {
                 // is there a duplicate?
@@ -602,6 +606,30 @@ Room.prototype.addTags = function(event) {
     this.emit("Room.tags", event, this);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Update the account_data events for this room, overwriting events of the same type.
+ * @param {Array<MatrixEvent>} events an array of account_data events to add
+ */
+Room.prototype.addAccountData = function(events) {
+    for (var i = 0; i < events.length; i++) {
+        var event = events[i];
+        if (event.getType() === "m.tag") {
+            this.addTags(event);
+        }
+        this.accountData[event.getType()] = event;
+        this.emit("Room.accountData", event, this);
+    }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Access account_data event of given event type for this room
+ * @param {string} type the type of account_data event to be accessed
+ * @return {?MatrixEvent} the account_data event in question
+ */
+Room.prototype.getAccountData = function(type) {
+    return this.accountData[type];
+};
+
 function setEventMetadata(event, stateContext, toStartOfTimeline) {
     // set sender and target properties
     event.sender = stateContext.getSentinelMember(
@@ -752,3 +780,16 @@ module.exports = Room;
  *   if (newTags["favourite"]) showStar(room);
  * });
  */
+
+/**
+ * Fires whenever a room's account_data is updated.
+ * @event module:client~MatrixClient#"Room.accountData"
+ * @param {event} event The account_data event
+ * @param {Room} room The room whose account_data was updated.
+ * @example
+ * matrixClient.on("Room.accountData", function(event, room){
+ *   if (event.getType() === "m.room.colorscheme") {
+ *       applyColorScheme(event.getContents());
+ *   }
+ * });
+ */
diff --git a/lib/sync.js b/lib/sync.js
index ec8a9089e..2e160756e 100644
--- a/lib/sync.js
+++ b/lib/sync.js
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ SyncApi.prototype.syncLeftRooms = function() {
                 return;
             }
             leaveObj.timeline = leaveObj.timeline || {};
-            var timelineEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.timeline, room);
+            var timelineEvents =
+                self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.timeline, room);
             var stateEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.state, room);
             var paginationToken = (
                 leaveObj.timeline.limited ? leaveObj.timeline.prev_batch : null
@@ -420,7 +421,8 @@ SyncApi.prototype._sync = function(syncOptions, attempt) {
             // Handle invites
             inviteRooms.forEach(function(inviteObj) {
                 var room = inviteObj.room;
-                var stateEvents = self._mapSyncEventsFormat(inviteObj.invite_state, room);
+                var stateEvents =
+                    self._mapSyncEventsFormat(inviteObj.invite_state, room);
                 self._processRoomEvents(room, stateEvents);
                 if (inviteObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
                     room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
@@ -458,8 +460,15 @@ SyncApi.prototype._sync = function(syncOptions, attempt) {
                 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);
-                room.addEvents(accountDataEvents);
+
+                // we deliberately don't add accountData to the timeline
+                room.addAccountData(accountDataEvents);
+
                 room.recalculate(client.credentials.userId);
                 if (joinObj.isBrandNewRoom) {
                     client.store.storeRoom(room);
@@ -475,7 +484,8 @@ SyncApi.prototype._sync = function(syncOptions, attempt) {
             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);
+                var timelineEvents =
+                    self._mapSyncEventsFormat(leaveObj.timeline, room);
                 room.addEvents(timelineEvents);
                 timelineEvents.forEach(function(e) { client.emit("event", e); });
             });