diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 3cf3f4aafc..e2a9f8b730 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -118,15 +118,11 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         if (!this.state.room) {
             if (this.props.autoPeek) {
                 console.log("Attempting to peek into room %s", this.props.roomId);
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().peekInRoom(this.props.roomId).done(() => {
-                    // we don't need to do anything - JS SDK will emit Room events
-                    // which will update the UI. We *do* however need to know if we
-                    // can join the room so we can fiddle with the UI appropriately.
-
-                    // ...XXX: or do we? can't we just do them onNewRoom?
-                }, function(err) {
+                MatrixClientPeg.get().peekInRoom(this.props.roomId).catch((err) => {
                     console.error("Failed to peek into room: %s", err);
                 }).finally(() => {
+                    // we don't need to do anything - JS SDK will emit Room events
+                    // which will update the UI.
                     this.setState({
                         autoPeekDone: true
                     });
@@ -379,6 +375,14 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         if (member.roomId === this.props.roomId) {
             // a member state changed in this room, refresh the tab complete list
             this._updateTabCompleteList(this.state.room);
+
+            var room = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(this.props.roomId);
+            var me = MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId;
+            if (this.state.joining && room.hasMembershipState(me, "join")) {
+                this.setState({
+                    joining: false
+                });
+            }
         }
 
         if (!this.props.ConferenceHandler) {
@@ -552,10 +556,17 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
     onJoinButtonClicked: function(ev) {
         var self = this;
-        MatrixClientPeg.get().joinRoom(this.props.roomId).then(function() {
+        MatrixClientPeg.get().joinRoom(this.props.roomId).done(function() {
+            // It is possible that there is no Room yet if state hasn't come down
+            // from /sync - joinRoom will resolve when the HTTP request to join succeeds,
+            // NOT when it comes down /sync. If there is no room, we'll keep the
+            // joining flag set until we see it. Likewise, if our state is not
+            // "join" we'll keep this flag set until it comes down /sync.
+            var room = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(self.props.roomId);
+            var me = MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId;
             self.setState({
-                joining: false,
-                room: MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(self.props.roomId)
+                joining: room ? !room.hasMembershipState(me, "join") : true,
+                room: room
             });
         }, function(error) {
             self.setState({