diff --git a/src/stores/WidgetStore.ts b/src/stores/WidgetStore.ts
index 2f06dfcb80..c53c85dfd5 100644
--- a/src/stores/WidgetStore.ts
+++ b/src/stores/WidgetStore.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export default class WidgetStore extends AsyncStoreWithClient<IState> {
         this.matrixClient.getRooms().forEach((room: Room) => {
             this.loadRoomWidgets(room);
         });
-        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT);
+        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT, null); // emit for all rooms
     }
 
     protected async onNotReady(): Promise<any> {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default class WidgetStore extends AsyncStoreWithClient<IState> {
     private onWidgetEchoStoreUpdate = (roomId: string, widgetId: string) => {
         this.initRoom(roomId);
         this.loadRoomWidgets(this.matrixClient.getRoom(roomId));
-        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT);
+        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT, roomId);
     };
 
     private generateApps(room: Room): IApp[] {
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export default class WidgetStore extends AsyncStoreWithClient<IState> {
         const roomId = ev.getRoomId();
         this.initRoom(roomId);
         this.loadRoomWidgets(this.matrixClient.getRoom(roomId));
-        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT);
+        this.emit(UPDATE_EVENT, roomId);
     };
 
     public getRoom = (roomId: string) => {
diff --git a/src/stores/widgets/WidgetLayoutStore.ts b/src/stores/widgets/WidgetLayoutStore.ts
index d54cb36a6c..bce684241d 100644
--- a/src/stores/widgets/WidgetLayoutStore.ts
+++ b/src/stores/widgets/WidgetLayoutStore.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export class WidgetLayoutStore extends ReadyWatchingStore {
         this.matrixClient.on("RoomState.events", this.updateRoomFromState);
         this.pinnedRef = SettingsStore.watchSetting("Widgets.pinned", null, this.updateFromSettings);
         this.layoutRef = SettingsStore.watchSetting("Widgets.layout", null, this.updateFromSettings);
-        WidgetStore.instance.on(UPDATE_EVENT, this.updateAllRooms);
+        WidgetStore.instance.on(UPDATE_EVENT, this.updateFromWidgetStore);
     }
 
     protected async onNotReady(): Promise<any> {
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ export class WidgetLayoutStore extends ReadyWatchingStore {
 
         SettingsStore.unwatchSetting(this.pinnedRef);
         SettingsStore.unwatchSetting(this.layoutRef);
-        WidgetStore.instance.off(UPDATE_EVENT, this.updateAllRooms);
+        WidgetStore.instance.off(UPDATE_EVENT, this.updateFromWidgetStore);
     }
 
     private updateAllRooms = () => {
@@ -149,6 +149,15 @@ export class WidgetLayoutStore extends ReadyWatchingStore {
         }
     };
 
+    private updateFromWidgetStore = (roomId?:string) => {
+        if (roomId) {
+            const room = this.matrixClient.getRoom(roomId);
+            if (room) this.recalculateRoom(room);
+        } else {
+            this.updateAllRooms();
+        }
+    };
+
     private updateRoomFromState = (ev: MatrixEvent) => {
         if (ev.getType() !== WIDGET_LAYOUT_EVENT_TYPE) return;
         const room = this.matrixClient.getRoom(ev.getRoomId());