diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 9b772b8e42..febafacc22 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -1038,195 +1038,6 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         return ret;
     },
 
-    uploadNewState: function(newVals) {
-        var old_name = this.state.room.name;
-
-        var old_topic = this.state.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.topic', '');
-        if (old_topic) {
-            old_topic = old_topic.getContent().topic;
-        } else {
-            old_topic = "";
-        }
-
-        var old_join_rule = this.state.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.join_rules', '');
-        if (old_join_rule) {
-            old_join_rule = old_join_rule.getContent().join_rule;
-        } else {
-            old_join_rule = "invite";
-        }
-
-        var old_history_visibility = this.state.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.history_visibility', '');
-        if (old_history_visibility) {
-            old_history_visibility = old_history_visibility.getContent().history_visibility;
-        } else {
-            old_history_visibility = "shared";
-        }
-
-        var old_guest_read = (old_history_visibility === "world_readable");
-
-        var old_guest_join = this.state.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.guest_access', '');
-        if (old_guest_join) {
-            old_guest_join = (old_guest_join.getContent().guest_access === "can_join");
-        }
-        else {
-            old_guest_join = false;
-        }
-
-        var deferreds = [];
-
-        if (old_name != newVals.name && newVals.name != undefined) {
-            deferreds.push(
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomName(this.state.room.roomId, newVals.name)
-            );
-        }
-
-        if (old_topic != newVals.topic && newVals.topic != undefined) {
-            deferreds.push(
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomTopic(this.state.room.roomId, newVals.topic)
-            );
-        }
-
-        if (old_join_rule != newVals.join_rule && newVals.join_rule != undefined) {
-            deferreds.push(
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().sendStateEvent(
-                    this.state.room.roomId, "m.room.join_rules", {
-                        join_rule: newVals.join_rule,
-                    }, ""
-                )
-            );
-        }
-
-        // XXX: EVIL HACK: for now, don't let Vector clobber 'joined' visibility to 'invited'
-        // just because it doesn't know about 'joined' yet.  In future we should fix it
-        // properly - https://github.com/vector-im/vector-web/issues/731
-        if (old_history_visibility === "joined") {
-            old_history_visibility = "invited";
-        }
-
-        var visibilityDeferred;
-        if (old_history_visibility != newVals.history_visibility &&
-                newVals.history_visibility != undefined) {
-            visibilityDeferred = 
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().sendStateEvent(
-                    this.state.room.roomId, "m.room.history_visibility", {
-                        history_visibility: newVals.history_visibility,
-                    }, ""
-                );
-        }
-
-        if (old_guest_read != newVals.guest_read ||
-            old_guest_join != newVals.guest_join)
-        {
-            var guestDeferred = 
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().setGuestAccess(this.state.room.roomId, {
-                    allowRead: newVals.guest_read,
-                    allowJoin: newVals.guest_join
-                });
-
-            if (visibilityDeferred) {
-                visibilityDeferred = visibilityDeferred.then(guestDeferred);
-            }
-            else {
-                visibilityDeferred = guestDeferred;
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (visibilityDeferred) {
-            deferreds.push(visibilityDeferred);
-        }
-
-        // setRoomMutePushRule will do nothing if there is no change
-        deferreds.push(
-            MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomMutePushRule(
-                "global", this.state.room.roomId, newVals.are_notifications_muted
-            )
-        );
-
-        if (newVals.power_levels) {
-            deferreds.push(
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().sendStateEvent(
-                    this.state.room.roomId, "m.room.power_levels", newVals.power_levels, ""
-                )
-            );
-        }
-
-        if (newVals.tag_operations) {
-            var oplist = [];
-            for (var i = 0; i < newVals.tag_operations.length; i++) {
-                var tag_operation = newVals.tag_operations[i];
-                switch (tag_operation.type) {
-                    case 'put':
-                        oplist.push(
-                            MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomTag(
-                                this.props.roomId, tag_operation.tag, {}
-                            )
-                        );
-                        break;
-                    case 'delete':
-                        oplist.push(
-                            MatrixClientPeg.get().deleteRoomTag(
-                                this.props.roomId, tag_operation.tag
-                            )
-                        );
-                        break;
-                    default:
-                        console.log("Unknown tag operation, ignoring: " + tag_operation.type);
-                }
-            }
-
-            if (oplist.length) {
-                var deferred = oplist[0];
-                oplist.splice(1).forEach(function (f) {
-                    deferred = deferred.then(f);
-                });
-                deferreds.push(deferred);
-            }            
-        }
-
-        if (newVals.color_scheme) {
-            deferreds.push(
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomAccountData(
-                    this.state.room.roomId, "org.matrix.room.color_scheme", newVals.color_scheme
-                )
-            );
-        }
-
-        deferreds.push(this.refs.room_settings.saveAliases());
-
-        if (deferreds.length) {
-            var self = this;
-            q.allSettled(deferreds).then(
-                function(results) {
-                    var fails = results.filter(function(result) { return result.state !== "fulfilled" });
-                    if (fails.length) {
-                        fails.forEach(function(result) {
-                            console.error(result.reason);
-                        });
-                        var ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
-                        Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
-                            title: "Failed to set state",
-                            description: fails.map(function(result) { return result.reason }).join("\n"),
-                        });
-                        self.refs.room_settings.resetState();
-                    }
-                    else {
-                        self.setState({
-                            editingRoomSettings: false
-                        });
-                    }
-                }).finally(function() {
-                    self.setState({
-                        uploadingRoomSettings: false,
-                    });
-                });
-        } else {
-            this.setState({
-                editingRoomSettings: false,
-                uploadingRoomSettings: false,
-            });
-        }
-    },
-
     _collectEventNode: function(eventId, node) {
         if (this.eventNodes == undefined) this.eventNodes = {};
         this.eventNodes[eventId] = node;
@@ -1324,22 +1135,38 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         this.showSettings(true);
     },
 
-    onSaveClick: function() {
+    onSettingsSaveClick: function() {
         this.setState({
             uploadingRoomSettings: true,
         });
-
-        this.uploadNewState({
-            name: this.refs.header.getRoomName(),
-            topic: this.refs.header.getTopic(),
-            join_rule: this.refs.room_settings.getJoinRules(),
-            history_visibility: this.refs.room_settings.getHistoryVisibility(),
-            are_notifications_muted: this.refs.room_settings.areNotificationsMuted(),
-            power_levels: this.refs.room_settings.getPowerLevels(),
-            tag_operations: this.refs.room_settings.getTagOperations(),
-            guest_join: this.refs.room_settings.canGuestsJoin(),
-            guest_read: this.refs.room_settings.canGuestsRead(),
-            color_scheme: this.refs.room_settings.getColorScheme(),
+        
+        this.refs.room_settings.setName(this.refs.header.getRoomName());
+        this.refs.room_settings.setTopic(this.refs.header.getTopic());
+        
+        this.refs.room_settings.save().then((results) => {
+            console.log("Settings saved.");
+            var fails = results.filter(function(result) { return result.state !== "fulfilled" });
+            if (fails.length) {
+                fails.forEach(function(result) {
+                    console.error(result.reason);
+                });
+                var ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
+                Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
+                    title: "Failed to set state",
+                    description: fails.map(function(result) { return result.reason }).join("\n"),
+                });
+                // still editing room settings
+            }
+            else {
+                this.setState({
+                    editingRoomSettings: false
+                });
+            }
+        }).finally(() => {
+            this.setState({
+                uploadingRoomSettings: false,
+                editingRoomSettings: false
+            });
         });
     },
 
@@ -1730,7 +1557,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
             var aux = null;
             if (this.state.editingRoomSettings) {
-                aux = <RoomSettings ref="room_settings" onSaveClick={this.onSaveClick} onCancelClick={this.onCancelClick} room={this.state.room} />;
+                aux = <RoomSettings ref="room_settings" onSaveClick={this.onSettingsSaveClick} onCancelClick={this.onCancelClick} room={this.state.room} />;
             }
             else if (this.state.uploadingRoomSettings) {
                 aux = <Loader/>;
@@ -1899,7 +1726,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                         editing={this.state.editingRoomSettings}
                         onSearchClick={this.onSearchClick}
                         onSettingsClick={this.onSettingsClick}
-                        onSaveClick={this.onSaveClick}
+                        onSaveClick={this.onSettingsSaveClick}
                         onCancelClick={this.onCancelClick}
                         onForgetClick={
                             (myMember && myMember.membership === "leave") ? this.onForgetClick : null
diff --git a/src/components/views/room_settings/AliasSettings.js b/src/components/views/room_settings/AliasSettings.js
index 0dd00852fa..033fdcd8b5 100644
--- a/src/components/views/room_settings/AliasSettings.js
+++ b/src/components/views/room_settings/AliasSettings.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             }
         }
 
-        return q.allSettled(promises);
+        return promises;
     },
 
     aliasEventsToDictionary: function(aliasEvents) { // m.room.alias events
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
index b716b2e9df..27fc6af961 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ var Tinter = require('../../../Tinter');
 var sdk = require('../../../index');
 var Modal = require('../../../Modal');
 
-var room_colors = [
+var ROOM_COLORS = [
     // magic room default values courtesy of Ribot
     ["#76cfa6", "#eaf5f0"],
     ["#81bddb", "#eaf1f4"],
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             if (color_scheme.primary_color) color_scheme.primary_color = color_scheme.primary_color.toLowerCase();
             if (color_scheme.secondary_color) color_scheme.secondary_color = color_scheme.secondary_color.toLowerCase();
             // XXX: we should validate these values
-            for (var i = 0; i < room_colors.length; i++) {
-                var room_color = room_colors[i];
+            for (var i = 0; i < ROOM_COLORS.length; i++) {
+                var room_color = ROOM_COLORS[i];
                 if (room_color[0] === color_scheme.primary_color &&
                     room_color[1] === color_scheme.secondary_color)
                 {
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             }
             if (room_color_index === undefined) {
                 // append the unrecognised colours to our palette
-                room_color_index = room_colors.length;
-                room_colors[room_color_index] = [ color_scheme.primary_color, color_scheme.secondary_color ];
+                room_color_index = ROOM_COLORS.length;
+                ROOM_COLORS[room_color_index] = [ color_scheme.primary_color, color_scheme.secondary_color ];
             }
         }
         else {
@@ -77,14 +77,84 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             tags[tagName] = {};
         });
 
+        var are_notifications_muted = false;
+        var roomPushRule = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoomPushRule("global", this.props.room.roomId); 
+        if (roomPushRule) {
+            if (0 <= roomPushRule.actions.indexOf("dont_notify")) {
+                are_notifications_muted = true;
+            }
+        }
+        
+
         return {
+            name: this._yankValueFromEvent("m.room.name", "name"),
+            topic: this._yankValueFromEvent("m.room.topic", "topic"),
+            join_rule: this._yankValueFromEvent("m.room.join_rules", "join_rule"),
+            history_visibility: this._yankValueFromEvent("m.room.history_visibility", "history_visibility"),
+            guest_access: this._yankValueFromEvent("m.room.guest_access", "guest_access"),
             power_levels_changed: false,
             color_scheme_changed: false,
             color_scheme_index: room_color_index,
             tags_changed: false,
             tags: tags,
+            areNotifsMuted: are_notifications_muted
         };
     },
+    
+    setName: function(name) {
+        this.setState({
+            name: name
+        });
+    },
+    
+    setTopic: function(topic) {
+        this.setState({
+            topic: topic
+        });
+    },
+    
+    save: function() {
+        var stateWasSetDefer = q.defer();
+        // the caller may have JUST called setState on stuff, so we need to re-render before saving
+        // else we won't use the latest values of things.
+        // We can be a bit cheeky here and set a loading flag, and listen for the callback on that
+        // to know when things have been set.
+        this.setState({ _loading: true}, () => {
+            stateWasSetDefer.resolve();
+            this.setState({ _loading: false});
+        });
+        
+        return stateWasSetDefer.promise.then(() => {
+            return this._save();
+        });
+    },
+
+    _save: function() {    
+        const roomId = this.props.room.roomId;
+        var promises = this.saveAliases(); // returns Promise[]
+        var originalState = this.getInitialState();
+        // diff between original state and this.state to work out what has been changed
+        console.log("Original: %s", JSON.stringify(originalState));
+        console.log("New: %s", JSON.stringify(this.state));
+        if (this.state.name !== originalState.name) {
+            promises.push(MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomName(roomId, this.state.name));
+        }
+        if (this.state.topic !== originalState.topic) { // TODO: 0-length strings?
+            promises.push(MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomTopic(roomId, this.state.topic));
+        }
+        // TODO:
+        // this.state.join_rule
+        // this.state.history_visibility
+        // this.state.guest_access
+        // setRoomMutePushRule
+        // power levels
+        // tags
+        // color scheme
+        
+        // submit diffs
+        
+        return q.allSettled(promises);
+    },
 
     saveAliases: function() {
         if (!this.refs.alias_settings) { return q(); }
@@ -116,7 +186,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     areNotificationsMuted: function() {
-        return this.refs.are_notifications_muted.checked;
+        return this.state.are_notifications_muted;
     },
 
     getPowerLevels: function() {
@@ -178,20 +248,36 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         if (!this.state.color_scheme_changed) return undefined;
 
         return {
-            primary_color: room_colors[this.state.color_scheme_index][0],
-            secondary_color: room_colors[this.state.color_scheme_index][1],            
+            primary_color: ROOM_COLORS[this.state.color_scheme_index][0],
+            secondary_color: ROOM_COLORS[this.state.color_scheme_index][1],            
         };
     },
 
     onColorSchemeChanged: function(index) {
         // preview what the user just changed the scheme to.
-        Tinter.tint(room_colors[index][0], room_colors[index][1]);
+        Tinter.tint(ROOM_COLORS[index][0], ROOM_COLORS[index][1]);
 
         this.setState({
             color_scheme_changed: true,
             color_scheme_index: index,
         });
     },
+    
+    _yankValueFromEvent: function(stateEventType, keyName, defaultValue) {
+        // E.g.("m.room.name","name") would yank the "name" content key from "m.room.name"
+        var event = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents(stateEventType, '');
+        if (!event) {
+            return defaultValue;
+        }
+        return event.getContent()[keyName] || defaultValue;
+    },
+    
+    _onToggle: function(keyName, ev) {
+        console.log("Checkbox toggle: %s %s", keyName, ev.target.checked);
+        var state = {};
+        state[keyName] = ev.target.checked;
+        this.setState(state);
+    },
 
     onTagChange: function(tagName, event) {
         if (event.target.checked) {
@@ -223,8 +309,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         var EditableText = sdk.getComponent('elements.EditableText');
         var PowerSelector = sdk.getComponent('elements.PowerSelector');
 
-        var join_rule = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.join_rules', '');
-        if (join_rule) join_rule = join_rule.getContent().join_rule;
+        
 
         var history_visibility = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.history_visibility', '');
         if (history_visibility) history_visibility = history_visibility.getContent().history_visibility;
@@ -235,14 +320,6 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             guest_access = guest_access.getContent().guest_access;
         }
 
-        var are_notifications_muted;
-        var roomPushRule = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoomPushRule("global", this.props.room.roomId); 
-        if (roomPushRule) {
-            if (0 <= roomPushRule.actions.indexOf("dont_notify")) {
-                are_notifications_muted = true;
-            }
-        }
-
         var events_levels = (power_levels ? power_levels.events : {}) || {};
 
         var user_id = MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId;
@@ -315,7 +392,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             <div>
                 <h3>Room Colour</h3>
                 <div className="mx_RoomSettings_roomColors">
-                    {room_colors.map(function(room_color, i) {
+                    {ROOM_COLORS.map(function(room_color, i) {
                         var selected;
                         if (i === self.state.color_scheme_index) {
                             selected =
@@ -418,12 +495,30 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 { tags_section }
 
                 <div className="mx_RoomSettings_toggles">
-                    <label><input type="checkbox" ref="are_notifications_muted" defaultChecked={are_notifications_muted}/> Mute notifications for this room</label>
-                    <label><input type="checkbox" ref="is_private" defaultChecked={join_rule != "public"}/> Make this room private</label>
-                    <label><input type="checkbox" ref="share_history" defaultChecked={history_visibility === "shared" || history_visibility === "world_readable"}/> Share message history with new participants</label>
-                    <label><input type="checkbox" ref="guests_join" defaultChecked={guest_access === "can_join"}/> Let guests join this room</label>
-                    <label><input type="checkbox" ref="guests_read" defaultChecked={history_visibility === "world_readable"}/> Let users read message history without joining</label>
-                    <label className="mx_RoomSettings_encrypt"><input type="checkbox" /> Encrypt room</label>
+                    <label>
+                        <input type="checkbox" onChange={this._onToggle.bind(this, "areNotifsMuted")} defaultChecked={this.state.areNotifsMuted}/>
+                        Mute notifications for this room
+                    </label>
+                    <label>
+                        <input type="checkbox" ref="is_private" defaultChecked={this.state.join_rule != "public"}/>
+                        Make this room private
+                    </label>
+                    <label>
+                        <input type="checkbox" ref="share_history" defaultChecked={history_visibility === "shared" || history_visibility === "world_readable"}/>
+                        Share message history with new participants
+                    </label>
+                    <label>
+                        <input type="checkbox" ref="guests_join" defaultChecked={guest_access === "can_join"}/>
+                        Let guests join this room
+                    </label>
+                    <label>
+                        <input type="checkbox" ref="guests_read" defaultChecked={history_visibility === "world_readable"}/>
+                        Let users read message history without joining
+                    </label>
+                    <label className="mx_RoomSettings_encrypt">
+                        <input type="checkbox" />
+                        Encrypt room
+                    </label>
                 </div>