diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineTableViewController.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineTableViewController.swift
index c0124fe71..2e399c530 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineTableViewController.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineTableViewController.swift
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
             }
             
             applySnapshot()
+            
+            if timelineItems.isEmpty {
+                paginateBackwardsPublisher.send()
+            }
         }
     }
     
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineView.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineView.swift
index 5fede34a8..7e6bc3f66 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineView.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/TimelineView.swift
@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@ struct TimelineView: UIViewControllerRepresentable {
         
         init(viewModelContext: RoomScreenViewModel.Context) {
             context = viewModelContext
-            
-            if viewModelContext.viewState.items.isEmpty {
-                viewModelContext.send(viewAction: .paginateBackwards)
-            }
         }
         
         /// Updates the specified table view's properties from the current view state.