diff --git a/res/css/structures/_MatrixChat.scss b/res/css/structures/_MatrixChat.scss
index 156b1709fe..eae1f56180 100644
--- a/res/css/structures/_MatrixChat.scss
+++ b/res/css/structures/_MatrixChat.scss
@@ -56,6 +56,18 @@ limitations under the License.
     flex: 1;
 }
 
+.mx_MatrixChat_syncError {
+    color: $accent-fg-color;
+    background-color: $warning-bg-color;
+    border-radius: 5px;
+    display: table;
+    padding: 30px;
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 100px;
+    left: 50%;
+    transform: translateX(-50%);
+}
+
 .mx_MatrixChat .mx_LeftPanel {
     order: 1;
 
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
index 333e200e44..71e61cda22 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import KeyRequestHandler from '../../KeyRequestHandler';
 import { _t, getCurrentLanguage } from '../../languageHandler';
 import SettingsStore, {SettingLevel} from "../../settings/SettingsStore";
 import { startAnyRegistrationFlow } from "../../Registration.js";
+import { messageForSyncError } from '../../utils/ErrorUtils';
 
 /** constants for MatrixChat.state.view */
 const VIEWS = {
@@ -179,6 +180,8 @@ export default React.createClass({
             // When showing Modal dialogs we need to set aria-hidden on the root app element
             // and disable it when there are no dialogs
             hideToSRUsers: false,
+
+            syncError: null, // If the current syncing status is ERROR, the error object, otherwise null.
         };
         return s;
     },
@@ -1242,13 +1245,20 @@ export default React.createClass({
             return self._loggedInView.child.canResetTimelineInRoom(roomId);
         });
 
-        cli.on('sync', function(state, prevState) {
+        cli.on('sync', function(state, prevState, data) {
             // LifecycleStore and others cannot directly subscribe to matrix client for
             // events because flux only allows store state changes during flux dispatches.
             // So dispatch directly from here. Ideally we'd use a SyncStateStore that
             // would do this dispatch and expose the sync state itself (by listening to
             // its own dispatch).
             dis.dispatch({action: 'sync_state', prevState, state});
+
+            if (state === "ERROR") {
+                self.setState({syncError: data.error});
+            } else if (self.state.syncError) {
+                self.setState({syncError: null});
+            }
+
             self.updateStatusIndicator(state, prevState);
             if (state === "SYNCING" && prevState === "SYNCING") {
                 return;
@@ -1744,8 +1754,15 @@ export default React.createClass({
             } else {
                 // we think we are logged in, but are still waiting for the /sync to complete
                 const Spinner = sdk.getComponent('elements.Spinner');
+                let errorBox;
+                if (this.state.syncError) {
+                    errorBox = <div className="mx_MatrixChat_syncError">
+                        {messageForSyncError(this.state.syncError)}
+                    </div>;
+                }
                 return (
                     <div className="mx_MatrixChat_splash">
+                        {errorBox}
                         <Spinner />
                         <a href="#" className="mx_MatrixChat_splashButtons" onClick={this.onLogoutClick}>
                         { _t('Logout') }
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index d06b986474..4643d4bdff 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
     "Your email address does not appear to be associated with a Matrix ID on this Homeserver.": "Your email address does not appear to be associated with a Matrix ID on this Homeserver.",
     "Registration Required": "Registration Required",
     "You need to register to do this. Would you like to register now?": "You need to register to do this. Would you like to register now?",
+    "Register": "Register",
     "Default": "Default",
     "Restricted": "Restricted",
     "Moderator": "Moderator",
@@ -203,6 +204,10 @@
     "Send anyway": "Send anyway",
     "Send": "Send",
     "Unnamed Room": "Unnamed Room",
+    "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit.": "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit.",
+    "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits.": "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits.",
+    "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to continue using the service.": "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to continue using the service.",
+    "Unable to connect to Homeserver. Retrying...": "Unable to connect to Homeserver. Retrying...",
     "Your browser does not support the required cryptography extensions": "Your browser does not support the required cryptography extensions",
     "Not a valid Riot keyfile": "Not a valid Riot keyfile",
     "Authentication check failed: incorrect password?": "Authentication check failed: incorrect password?",
@@ -655,7 +660,6 @@
     "Email address (optional)": "Email address (optional)",
     "You are registering with %(SelectedTeamName)s": "You are registering with %(SelectedTeamName)s",
     "Mobile phone number (optional)": "Mobile phone number (optional)",
-    "Register": "Register",
     "Default server": "Default server",
     "Custom server": "Custom server",
     "Home server URL": "Home server URL",
@@ -694,9 +698,6 @@
     "A new version of Riot is available.": "A new version of Riot is available.",
     "To return to your account in future you need to <u>set a password</u>": "To return to your account in future you need to <u>set a password</u>",
     "Set Password": "Set Password",
-    "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to continue using the service.": "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to continue using the service.",
-    "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit.": "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit.",
-    "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits.": "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits.",
     "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to get this limit increased.": "Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to get this limit increased.",
     "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit so <b>some users will not be able to log in</b>.": "This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit so <b>some users will not be able to log in</b>.",
     "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits so <b>some users will not be able to log in</b>.": "This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits so <b>some users will not be able to log in</b>.",
diff --git a/src/utils/ErrorUtils.js b/src/utils/ErrorUtils.js
index 97a29a3572..4a56d64ef1 100644
--- a/src/utils/ErrorUtils.js
+++ b/src/utils/ErrorUtils.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import { _t } from '../languageHandler';
+import { _t, _td } from '../languageHandler';
 
 /**
  * Produce a translated error message for a
@@ -48,3 +48,31 @@ export function messageForResourceLimitError(limitType, adminContact, strings, e
         return _t(errString, {}, extraTranslations);
     }
 }
+
+export function messageForSyncError(err) {
+    if (err.errcode === 'M_RESOURCE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED') {
+        const limitError = messageForResourceLimitError(
+            err.data.limit_type,
+            err.data.admin_contact,
+            {
+                'monthly_active_user': _td("This homeserver has hit its Monthly Active User limit."),
+                '': _td("This homeserver has exceeded one of its resource limits."),
+            },
+        );
+        const adminContact = messageForResourceLimitError(
+            err.data.limit_type,
+            err.data.admin_contact,
+            {
+                '': _td("Please <a>contact your service administrator</a> to continue using the service."),
+            },
+        );
+        return <div>
+            <div>{limitError}</div>
+            <div>{adminContact}</div>
+        </div>;
+    } else {
+        return <div>
+            {_t("Unable to connect to Homeserver. Retrying...")}
+        </div>;
+    }
+}