diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 4beafb099c..cb6b94c2e6 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ import SettingsStore, {SettingLevel} from "../../settings/SettingsStore";
 const DEBUG = false;
 let debuglog = function() {};
 
+let mediaLimitCache = null;
+
 const BROWSER_SUPPORTS_SANDBOX = 'sandbox' in document.createElement('iframe');
 
 if (DEBUG) {
@@ -94,6 +96,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             roomLoading: true,
             peekLoading: false,
             shouldPeek: true,
+            
+            // Media limits for uploading, this may change.
+            mediaLimits: {},
 
             // The event to be scrolled to initially
             initialEventId: null,
@@ -147,12 +152,26 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("RoomState.members", this.onRoomStateMember);
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("RoomMember.membership", this.onRoomMemberMembership);
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("accountData", this.onAccountData);
-
+        this._fetchMediaLimits();
         // Start listening for RoomViewStore updates
         this._roomStoreToken = RoomViewStore.addListener(this._onRoomViewStoreUpdate);
         this._onRoomViewStoreUpdate(true);
     },
 
+    _fetchMediaLimits: function(invalidateCache: boolean = false) {
+        let limits;
+        if(invalidateCache || mediaLimitCache == null) {
+            MatrixClientPeg.get().getMediaLimits().then((_limits) => {
+                limits = _limits;
+            }).catch(() => {
+                // Media repo can't or won't report limits, so provide an empty object (no limits).
+                limits = {};
+            });
+            mediaLimitCache = limits;
+        }
+        this.state.mediaLimits = limits;
+    },
+
     _onRoomViewStoreUpdate: function(initial) {
         if (this.unmounted) {
             return;
@@ -481,6 +500,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 break;
             case 'notifier_enabled':
             case 'upload_failed':
+                this._fetchMediaLimits(true);
             case 'upload_started':
             case 'upload_finished':
                 this.forceUpdate();
@@ -1654,6 +1674,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                     callState={this.state.callState}
                     disabled={this.props.disabled}
                     showApps={this.state.showApps}
+                    mediaLimits={this.state.mediaLimits}
                 />;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposer.js
index bb8f7d78d2..1a80a0be4f 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposer.js
@@ -65,13 +65,6 @@ export default class MessageComposer extends React.Component {
         // XXX: fragile as all hell - fixme somehow, perhaps with a dedicated Room.encryption event or something.
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("event", this.onEvent);
         this._roomStoreToken = RoomViewStore.addListener(this._onRoomViewStoreUpdate);
-
-        MatrixClientPeg.get().getMediaLimits().then((limits) => {
-            this._uploadLimits = limits;
-        }).catch(() => {
-            // HS can't or won't provide limits, so don't give any.
-            this._uploadLimits = {};
-        })
     }
 
     componentWillUnmount() {
@@ -110,8 +103,10 @@ export default class MessageComposer extends React.Component {
     }
 
     isFileUploadAllowed(file) {
-        if (this._uploadLimits.upload_size !== undefined && file.size > this._uploadLimits.upload_size) {
-            return _t("File is too big. Maximum file size is %(fileSize)s", {fileSize: filesize(this._uploadLimits.upload_size)});
+        if (this.props.mediaLimits !== undefined &&
+            this.props.mediaLimits.upload_size !== undefined &&
+            file.size > this.props.mediaLimits.upload_size) {
+            return _t("File is too big. Maximum file size is %(fileSize)s", {fileSize: filesize(this.mediaLimits.upload_size)});
         }
         return true;
     }
@@ -430,6 +425,8 @@ MessageComposer.propTypes = {
     // callback when a file to upload is chosen
     uploadFile: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 
+    mediaLimits: PropTypes.object,
+
     // string representing the current room app drawer state
-    showApps: PropTypes.bool,
+    showApps: PropTypes.bool
 };