diff --git a/lib/sync.js b/lib/sync.js
index df7df05a5..4ee175928 100644
--- a/lib/sync.js
+++ b/lib/sync.js
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ function SyncApi(client, opts) {
     this._connectionReturnedDefer = null;
     this._notifEvents = []; // accumulator of sync events in the current sync response
 
-    reEmit(client, client.getNotifTimelineSet(), ["Room.timeline"]);
+    if (client.getNotifTimelineSet()) {
+        reEmit(client, client.getNotifTimelineSet(), ["Room.timeline"]);
+    }
 }
 
 /**