diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 06e65589d1..942e3c8e07 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -165,14 +165,14 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             roomLoading: RoomViewStore.isRoomLoading(),
             roomLoadError: RoomViewStore.getRoomLoadError(),
             joining: RoomViewStore.isJoining(),
-            eventId: RoomViewStore.getEventId(),
-            eventPixelOffset: RoomViewStore.getEventPixelOffset(),
-            isEventHighlighted: RoomViewStore.isEventHighlighted(),
+            initialEventId: RoomViewStore.getInitialEventId(),
+            initialEventPixelOffset: RoomViewStore.getInitialEventPixelOffset(),
+            isInitialEventHighlighted: RoomViewStore.isInitialEventHighlighted(),
         };
 
         // Clear the search results when clicking a search result (which changes the
-        // currently scrolled to event, this.state.eventId).
-        if (this.state.eventId !== newState.eventId) {
+        // currently scrolled to event, this.state.initialEventId).
+        if (this.state.initialEventId !== newState.initialEventId) {
             newState.searchResults = null;
         }
 
@@ -1665,12 +1665,12 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             hideMessagePanel = true;
         }
 
-        const shouldHighlight = this.state.isEventHighlighted;
+        const shouldHighlight = this.state.isInitialEventHighlighted;
         let highlightedEventId = null;
         if (this.state.forwardingEvent) {
             highlightedEventId = this.state.forwardingEvent.getId();
         } else if (shouldHighlight) {
-            highlightedEventId = this.state.eventId;
+            highlightedEventId = this.state.initialEventId;
         }
 
         // console.log("ShowUrlPreview for %s is %s", this.state.room.roomId, this.state.showUrlPreview);
@@ -1681,8 +1681,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 manageReadMarkers={true}
                 hidden={hideMessagePanel}
                 highlightedEventId={highlightedEventId}
-                eventId={this.state.eventId}
-                eventPixelOffset={this.state.eventPixelOffset}
+                eventId={this.state.initialEventId}
+                eventPixelOffset={this.state.initialEventPixelOffset}
                 onScroll={ this.onMessageListScroll }
                 onReadMarkerUpdated={ this._updateTopUnreadMessagesBar }
                 showUrlPreview = { this.state.showUrlPreview }
diff --git a/src/stores/RoomViewStore.js b/src/stores/RoomViewStore.js
index 0529824a4b..8277aeda97 100644
--- a/src/stores/RoomViewStore.js
+++ b/src/stores/RoomViewStore.js
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ const INITIAL_STATE = {
     joinError: null,
     // The room ID of the room
     roomId: null,
-    // The event being viewed
-    eventId: null,
-    // The offset to display the event at (see scrollStateMap)
-    eventPixelOffset: null,
-    // Whether to highlight the event
-    isEventHighlighted: false,
+
+    // The event to scroll to initially
+    initialEventId: null,
+    // The offset to display the initial event at (see scrollStateMap)
+    initialEventPixelOffset: null,
+    // Whether to highlight the initial event
+    isInitialEventHighlighted: false,
+
     // The room alias of the room (or null if not originally specified in view_room)
     roomAlias: null,
     // Whether the current room is loading
@@ -131,9 +133,9 @@ class RoomViewStore extends Store {
 
             this._setState({
                 roomId: payload.room_id,
-                eventId: payload.event_id,
-                eventPixelOffset: payload.event_offset,
-                isEventHighlighted: payload.highlighted,
+                initialEventId: payload.event_id,
+                initialEventPixelOffset: payload.event_offset,
+                isInitialEventHighlighted: payload.highlighted,
                 roomLoading: false,
                 roomLoadError: null,
             });
@@ -141,9 +143,9 @@ class RoomViewStore extends Store {
             // Resolve the alias and then do a second dispatch with the room ID acquired
             this._setState({
                 roomId: null,
-                eventId: null,
-                eventPixelOffset: null,
-                isEventHighlighted: null,
+                initialEventId: null,
+                initialEventPixelOffset: null,
+                isInitialEventHighlighted: null,
                 roomAlias: payload.room_alias,
                 roomLoading: true,
                 roomLoadError: null,
@@ -229,16 +231,16 @@ class RoomViewStore extends Store {
         return this._state.roomId;
     }
 
-    getEventId() {
-        return this._state.eventId;
+    getInitialEventId() {
+        return this._state.initialEventId;
     }
 
-    getEventPixelOffset() {
-        return this._state.eventPixelOffset;
+    getInitialEventPixelOffset() {
+        return this._state.initialEventPixelOffset;
     }
 
-    isEventHighlighted() {
-        return this._state.isEventHighlighted;
+    isInitialEventHighlighted() {
+        return this._state.isInitialEventHighlighted;
     }
 
     getRoomAlias() {