diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index 4acd299e4f..3fe6a08f97 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -153,6 +153,14 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             if (key == 'readReceipts') {
                 var rA = objA[key];
                 var rB = objB[key];
+                if (rA === rB) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                if (!rA || !rB) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+
                 if (rA.length !== rB.length) {
                     return false;
                 }
diff --git a/test/components/structures/MessagePanel-test.js b/test/components/structures/MessagePanel-test.js
index 134cc4c34b..802f470545 100644
--- a/test/components/structures/MessagePanel-test.js
+++ b/test/components/structures/MessagePanel-test.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ var TestUtils = require('react-addons-test-utils');
 var expect = require('expect');
 
 var sdk = require('matrix-react-sdk');
+var MatrixClientPeg = require('MatrixClientPeg');
 
 var MessagePanel = sdk.getComponent('structures.MessagePanel');
 
@@ -35,6 +36,9 @@ describe('MessagePanel', function () {
     beforeEach(function() {
         test_utils.beforeEach(this);
         sandbox = test_utils.stubClient(sandbox);
+
+        var client = MatrixClientPeg.get();
+        client.credentials = {userId: '@me:here'};
     });
 
     afterEach(function () {
@@ -93,7 +97,7 @@ describe('MessagePanel', function () {
         // first render with the RM in one place
         var mp = ReactDOM.render(
                 <MessagePanel events={events} readMarkerEventId={events[4].getId()}
-                    readMarkerVisible={true} 
+                    readMarkerVisible={true}
                 />, parentDiv);
 
         var tiles = TestUtils.scryRenderedComponentsWithType(
@@ -109,13 +113,13 @@ describe('MessagePanel', function () {
         // now move the RM
         mp = ReactDOM.render(
                 <MessagePanel events={events} readMarkerEventId={events[6].getId()}
-                    readMarkerVisible={true} 
+                    readMarkerVisible={true}
                 />, parentDiv);
 
         // now there should be two RM containers
         var found = TestUtils.scryRenderedDOMComponentsWithClass(mp, 'mx_RoomView_myReadMarker_container');
         expect(found.length).toEqual(2);
-        
+
         // the first should be the ghost
         expect(found[0].previousSibling).toEqual(tileContainers[4]);
         var hr = found[0].children[0];
@@ -126,7 +130,7 @@ describe('MessagePanel', function () {
         // advance the clock, and then let the browser run an animation frame,
         // to let the animation start
         clock.tick(1500);
-        
+
         realSetTimeout(() => {
             // then advance it again to let it complete
             clock.tick(1000);
diff --git a/test/components/structures/TimelinePanel-test.js b/test/components/structures/TimelinePanel-test.js
index 72d176161f..671d5c7774 100644
--- a/test/components/structures/TimelinePanel-test.js
+++ b/test/components/structures/TimelinePanel-test.js
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ describe('TimelinePanel', function() {
         // this is https://github.com/vector-im/vector-web/issues/1367
 
         // enough events to allow us to scroll back
-        for (var i = 0; i < 40; i++) {
+        var N_EVENTS = 20;
+        for (var i = 0; i < N_EVENTS; i++) {
             timeline.addEvent(mkMessage());
         }
 
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ describe('TimelinePanel', function() {
         // happens
         awaitScroll().then(() => {
             expect(panel.state.canBackPaginate).toBe(false);
-            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(40);
+            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(N_EVENTS);
 
             // scroll up
             console.log("setting scrollTop = 0");
@@ -145,12 +146,12 @@ describe('TimelinePanel', function() {
             // that won't make much difference, because we don't paginate
             // unless we're at the bottom of the timeline, but a scroll event
             // should be enough to set off a pagination.
-            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(40);
+            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(N_EVENTS);
 
             scrollingDiv.scrollTop = 10;
         }).delay(0).then(awaitPaginationCompletion).then(() => {
-            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(41);
-        }).done(done);
+            expect(scryEventTiles(panel).length).toEqual(N_EVENTS+1);
+        }).done(done, done);
     });
 
     it('should not paginate forever if there are no events', function(done) {
@@ -204,5 +205,3 @@ describe('TimelinePanel', function() {
         }, 0);
     });
 });
-
-