diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 778cdb2317..21f9df30ec 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -299,6 +299,10 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseHandler):
                       feedback=False):
         yield self.auth.check_joined_room(room_id, user_id)
 
+        # TODO(paul): I wish I was called with user objects not user_id
+        #   strings...
+        auth_user = self.hs.parse_userid(user_id)
+
         # TODO: These concurrently
         state_tuples = yield self.store.get_current_state(room_id)
         state = [self.hs.serialize_event(x) for x in state_tuples]
@@ -323,6 +327,23 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseHandler):
         start_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[0])
         end_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[1])
 
+        room_members = yield self.store.get_room_members(room_id)
+
+        presence_handler = self.hs.get_handlers().presence_handler
+        presence = []
+        for m in room_members:
+            try:
+                member_presence = yield presence_handler.get_state(
+                    target_user=self.hs.parse_userid(m.user_id),
+                    auth_user=auth_user,
+                    as_event=True,
+                )
+                presence.append(member_presence)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.exception("Failed to get member presence of %r",
+                    m.user_id
+                )
+
         defer.returnValue({
             "membership": member_event.membership,
             "room_id": room_id,
@@ -332,5 +353,5 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseHandler):
                 "end": end_token.to_string(),
             },
             "state": state,
-            #"presence": presence
+            "presence": presence
         })
diff --git a/tests/rest/test_rooms.py b/tests/rest/test_rooms.py
index b7d9a2bd06..ad3631d510 100644
--- a/tests/rest/test_rooms.py
+++ b/tests/rest/test_rooms.py
@@ -1026,6 +1026,12 @@ class RoomInitialSyncTestCase(RestTestCase):
 
         synapse.rest.room.register_servlets(hs, self.mock_resource)
 
+        # Since I'm getting my own presence I need to exist as far as presence
+        # is concerned.
+        hs.get_handlers().presence_handler.registered_user(
+            hs.parse_userid(self.user_id)
+        )
+
         # create the room
         self.room_id = yield self.create_room_as(self.user_id)
 
@@ -1054,6 +1060,14 @@ class RoomInitialSyncTestCase(RestTestCase):
         self.assertTrue("chunk" in response["messages"])
         self.assertTrue("end" in response["messages"])
 
+        self.assertTrue("presence" in response)
+
+        presence_by_user = {e["content"]["user_id"]: e
+            for e in response["presence"]
+        }
+        self.assertTrue(self.user_id in presence_by_user)
+        self.assertEquals("m.presence", presence_by_user[self.user_id]["type"])
+
 #        (code, response) = yield self.mock_resource.trigger("GET", path, None)
 #        self.assertEquals(200, code, msg=str(response))
 #        self.assert_dict(json.loads(content), response)