diff --git a/src/client_server/read_marker.rs b/src/client_server/read_marker.rs
index ff72765f..1b8bd8e4 100644
--- a/src/client_server/read_marker.rs
+++ b/src/client_server/read_marker.rs
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ pub fn set_read_marker_route(
     )?;
 
     if let Some(event) = &body.read_receipt {
-        db.rooms.edus.room_read_set(
+        db.rooms.edus.private_read_set(
             &body.room_id,
             &sender_id,
             db.rooms.get_pdu_count(event)?.ok_or(Error::BadRequest(
                 ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
                 "Event does not exist.",
             ))?,
+            &db.globals,
         )?;
 
         let mut user_receipts = BTreeMap::new();
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ pub fn set_read_marker_route(
             },
         );
 
-        db.rooms.edus.roomlatest_update(
+        db.rooms.edus.readreceipt_update(
             &sender_id,
             &body.room_id,
             AnyEvent::Ephemeral(AnyEphemeralRoomEvent::Receipt(
diff --git a/src/client_server/sync.rs b/src/client_server/sync.rs
index 2307f028..8f373544 100644
--- a/src/client_server/sync.rs
+++ b/src/client_server/sync.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,12 @@ pub async fn sync_events_route(
             .rev()
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-        let send_notification_counts = !timeline_pdus.is_empty();
+        let send_notification_counts = !timeline_pdus.is_empty()
+            || db
+                .rooms
+                .edus
+                .last_privateread_update(&sender_id, &room_id)?
+                > since;
 
         // They /sync response doesn't always return all messages, so we say the output is
         // limited unless there are events in non_timeline_pdus
@@ -242,7 +247,7 @@ pub async fn sync_events_route(
         };
 
         let notification_count = if send_notification_counts {
-            if let Some(last_read) = db.rooms.edus.room_read_get(&room_id, &sender_id)? {
+            if let Some(last_read) = db.rooms.edus.private_read_get(&room_id, &sender_id)? {
                 Some(
                     (db.rooms
                         .pdus_since(&sender_id, &room_id, last_read)?
@@ -280,20 +285,15 @@ pub async fn sync_events_route(
         let mut edus = db
             .rooms
             .edus
-            .roomlatests_since(&room_id, since)?
+            .readreceipts_since(&room_id, since)?
             .filter_map(|r| r.ok()) // Filter out buggy events
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-        if db
-            .rooms
-            .edus
-            .last_roomactive_update(&room_id, &db.globals)?
-            > since
-        {
+        if db.rooms.edus.last_typing_update(&room_id, &db.globals)? > since {
             edus.push(
                 serde_json::from_str(
                     &serde_json::to_string(&AnySyncEphemeralRoomEvent::Typing(
-                        db.rooms.edus.roomactives_all(&room_id)?,
+                        db.rooms.edus.typings_all(&room_id)?,
                     ))
                     .expect("event is valid, we just created it"),
                 )
diff --git a/src/client_server/typing.rs b/src/client_server/typing.rs
index 7eba13e1..89e1e4ab 100644
--- a/src/client_server/typing.rs
+++ b/src/client_server/typing.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub fn create_typing_event_route(
     let sender_id = body.sender_id.as_ref().expect("user is authenticated");
 
     if body.typing {
-        db.rooms.edus.roomactive_add(
+        db.rooms.edus.typing_add(
             &sender_id,
             &body.room_id,
             body.timeout.map(|d| d.as_millis() as u64).unwrap_or(30000)
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ pub fn create_typing_event_route(
     } else {
         db.rooms
             .edus
-            .roomactive_remove(&sender_id, &body.room_id, &db.globals)?;
+            .typing_remove(&sender_id, &body.room_id, &db.globals)?;
     }
 
     Ok(create_typing_event::Response.into())
diff --git a/src/database.rs b/src/database.rs
index 7bbb6dd7..41781b95 100644
--- a/src/database.rs
+++ b/src/database.rs
@@ -88,10 +88,11 @@ impl Database {
             },
             rooms: rooms::Rooms {
                 edus: rooms::RoomEdus {
-                    roomuserid_lastread: db.open_tree("roomuserid_lastread")?, // "Private" read receipt
-                    roomlatestid_roomlatest: db.open_tree("roomlatestid_roomlatest")?, // Read receipts
-                    roomactiveid_userid: db.open_tree("roomactiveid_userid")?, // Typing notifs
-                    roomid_lastroomactiveupdate: db.open_tree("roomid_lastroomactiveupdate")?,
+                    readreceiptid_readreceipt: db.open_tree("readreceiptid_readreceipt")?,
+                    roomuserid_privateread: db.open_tree("roomuserid_privateread")?, // "Private" read receipt
+                    roomuserid_lastprivatereadupdate: db.open_tree("roomid_lastprivatereadupdate")?,
+                    typingid_userid: db.open_tree("typingid_userid")?,
+                    roomid_lasttypingupdate: db.open_tree("roomid_lasttypingupdate")?,
                     presenceid_presence: db.open_tree("presenceid_presence")?,
                     userid_lastpresenceupdate: db.open_tree("userid_lastpresenceupdate")?,
                 },
@@ -163,14 +164,14 @@ impl Database {
             futures.push(
                 self.rooms
                     .edus
-                    .roomid_lastroomactiveupdate
+                    .roomid_lasttypingupdate
                     .watch_prefix(&roomid_bytes),
             );
 
             futures.push(
                 self.rooms
                     .edus
-                    .roomlatestid_roomlatest
+                    .readreceiptid_readreceipt
                     .watch_prefix(&roomid_prefix),
             );
 
diff --git a/src/database/rooms.rs b/src/database/rooms.rs
index 3c1febd4..bb14c8a5 100644
--- a/src/database/rooms.rs
+++ b/src/database/rooms.rs
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ impl Rooms {
             }
             _ => {}
         }
-        self.edus.room_read_set(&room_id, &sender, index)?;
+        self.edus.private_read_set(&room_id, &sender, index, &globals)?;
 
         Ok(pdu.event_id)
     }
diff --git a/src/database/rooms/edus.rs b/src/database/rooms/edus.rs
index fff30c22..fbd3edb6 100644
--- a/src/database/rooms/edus.rs
+++ b/src/database/rooms/edus.rs
@@ -14,17 +14,18 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 pub struct RoomEdus {
-    pub(in super::super) roomuserid_lastread: sled::Tree, // RoomUserId = Room + User
-    pub(in super::super) roomlatestid_roomlatest: sled::Tree, // Read Receipts, RoomLatestId = RoomId + Count + UserId
-    pub(in super::super) roomactiveid_userid: sled::Tree, // Typing, RoomActiveId = RoomId + TimeoutTime + Count
-    pub(in super::super) roomid_lastroomactiveupdate: sled::Tree, // LastRoomActiveUpdate = Count
+    pub(in super::super) readreceiptid_readreceipt: sled::Tree, // ReadReceiptId = RoomId + Count + UserId
+    pub(in super::super) roomuserid_privateread: sled::Tree, // RoomUserId = Room + User, PrivateRead = Count
+    pub(in super::super) roomuserid_lastprivatereadupdate: sled::Tree, // LastPrivateReadUpdate = Count
+    pub(in super::super) typingid_userid: sled::Tree, // TypingId = RoomId + TimeoutTime + Count
+    pub(in super::super) roomid_lasttypingupdate: sled::Tree, // LastRoomTypingUpdate = Count
     pub(in super::super) presenceid_presence: sled::Tree, // PresenceId = RoomId + Count + UserId
     pub(in super::super) userid_lastpresenceupdate: sled::Tree, // LastPresenceUpdate = Count
 }
 
 impl RoomEdus {
     /// Adds an event which will be saved until a new event replaces it (e.g. read receipt).
-    pub fn roomlatest_update(
+    pub fn readreceipt_update(
         &self,
         user_id: &UserId,
         room_id: &RoomId,
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
 
         // Remove old entry
         if let Some(old) = self
-            .roomlatestid_roomlatest
+            .readreceiptid_readreceipt
             .scan_prefix(&prefix)
             .keys()
             .rev()
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
             })
         {
             // This is the old room_latest
-            self.roomlatestid_roomlatest.remove(old)?;
+            self.readreceiptid_readreceipt.remove(old)?;
         }
 
         let mut room_latest_id = prefix;
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
         room_latest_id.push(0xff);
         room_latest_id.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
 
-        self.roomlatestid_roomlatest.insert(
+        self.readreceiptid_readreceipt.insert(
             room_latest_id,
             &*serde_json::to_string(&event).expect("EduEvent::to_string always works"),
         )?;
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator over the most recent read_receipts in a room that happened after the event with id `since`.
-    pub fn roomlatests_since(
+    pub fn readreceipts_since(
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         since: u64,
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
         first_possible_edu.extend_from_slice(&(since + 1).to_be_bytes()); // +1 so we don't send the event at since
 
         Ok(self
-            .roomlatestid_roomlatest
+            .readreceiptid_readreceipt
             .range(&*first_possible_edu..)
             .filter_map(|r| r.ok())
             .take_while(move |(k, _)| k.starts_with(&prefix))
@@ -90,9 +91,54 @@ impl RoomEdus {
             }))
     }
 
-    /// Sets a user as typing until the timeout timestamp is reached or roomactive_remove is
+    /// Sets a private read marker at `count`.
+    pub fn private_read_set(&self, room_id: &RoomId, user_id: &UserId, count: u64, globals: &super::super::globals::Globals) -> Result<()> {
+        let mut key = room_id.to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
+        key.push(0xff);
+        key.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
+
+        self.roomuserid_privateread
+            .insert(&key, &count.to_be_bytes())?;
+
+        self.roomuserid_lastprivatereadupdate
+            .insert(&key, &globals.next_count()?.to_be_bytes())?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the private read marker.
+    pub fn private_read_get(&self, room_id: &RoomId, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<Option<u64>> {
+        let mut key = room_id.to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
+        key.push(0xff);
+        key.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
+
+        self.roomuserid_privateread.get(key)?.map_or(Ok(None), |v| {
+            Ok(Some(utils::u64_from_bytes(&v).map_err(|_| {
+                Error::bad_database("Invalid private read marker bytes")
+            })?))
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the count of the last typing update in this room.
+    pub fn last_privateread_update(&self, user_id: &UserId, room_id: &RoomId) -> Result<u64> {
+        let mut key = room_id.to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
+        key.push(0xff);
+        key.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
+
+        Ok(self
+            .roomuserid_lastprivatereadupdate
+            .get(&key)?
+            .map_or(Ok::<_, Error>(None), |bytes| {
+                Ok(Some(utils::u64_from_bytes(&bytes).map_err(|_| {
+                    Error::bad_database("Count in roomuserid_lastprivatereadupdate is invalid.")
+                })?))
+            })?
+            .unwrap_or(0))
+    }
+
+    /// Sets a user as typing until the timeout timestamp is reached or roomtyping_remove is
     /// called.
-    pub fn roomactive_add(
+    pub fn typing_add(
         &self,
         user_id: &UserId,
         room_id: &RoomId,
@@ -104,22 +150,22 @@ impl RoomEdus {
 
         let count = globals.next_count()?.to_be_bytes();
 
-        let mut room_active_id = prefix;
-        room_active_id.extend_from_slice(&timeout.to_be_bytes());
-        room_active_id.push(0xff);
-        room_active_id.extend_from_slice(&count);
+        let mut room_typing_id = prefix;
+        room_typing_id.extend_from_slice(&timeout.to_be_bytes());
+        room_typing_id.push(0xff);
+        room_typing_id.extend_from_slice(&count);
 
-        self.roomactiveid_userid
-            .insert(&room_active_id, &*user_id.to_string().as_bytes())?;
+        self.typingid_userid
+            .insert(&room_typing_id, &*user_id.to_string().as_bytes())?;
 
-        self.roomid_lastroomactiveupdate
+        self.roomid_lasttypingupdate
             .insert(&room_id.to_string().as_bytes(), &count)?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Removes a user from typing before the timeout is reached.
-    pub fn roomactive_remove(
+    pub fn typing_remove(
         &self,
         user_id: &UserId,
         room_id: &RoomId,
@@ -132,19 +178,19 @@ impl RoomEdus {
 
         let mut found_outdated = false;
 
-        // Maybe there are multiple ones from calling roomactive_add multiple times
+        // Maybe there are multiple ones from calling roomtyping_add multiple times
         for outdated_edu in self
-            .roomactiveid_userid
+            .typingid_userid
             .scan_prefix(&prefix)
             .filter_map(|r| r.ok())
             .filter(|(_, v)| v == user_id.as_bytes())
         {
-            self.roomactiveid_userid.remove(outdated_edu.0)?;
+            self.typingid_userid.remove(outdated_edu.0)?;
             found_outdated = true;
         }
 
         if found_outdated {
-            self.roomid_lastroomactiveupdate.insert(
+            self.roomid_lasttypingupdate.insert(
                 &room_id.to_string().as_bytes(),
                 &globals.next_count()?.to_be_bytes(),
             )?;
@@ -154,7 +200,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
     }
 
     /// Makes sure that typing events with old timestamps get removed.
-    fn roomactives_maintain(
+    fn typings_maintain(
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         globals: &super::super::globals::Globals,
@@ -168,7 +214,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
 
         // Find all outdated edus before inserting a new one
         for outdated_edu in self
-            .roomactiveid_userid
+            .typingid_userid
             .scan_prefix(&prefix)
             .keys()
             .map(|key| {
@@ -176,21 +222,21 @@ impl RoomEdus {
                 Ok::<_, Error>((
                     key.clone(),
                     utils::u64_from_bytes(key.split(|&b| b == 0xff).nth(1).ok_or_else(|| {
-                        Error::bad_database("RoomActive has invalid timestamp or delimiters.")
+                        Error::bad_database("RoomTyping has invalid timestamp or delimiters.")
                     })?)
-                    .map_err(|_| Error::bad_database("RoomActive has invalid timestamp bytes."))?,
+                    .map_err(|_| Error::bad_database("RoomTyping has invalid timestamp bytes."))?,
                 ))
             })
             .filter_map(|r| r.ok())
             .take_while(|&(_, timestamp)| timestamp < current_timestamp)
         {
             // This is an outdated edu (time > timestamp)
-            self.roomactiveid_userid.remove(outdated_edu.0)?;
+            self.typingid_userid.remove(outdated_edu.0)?;
             found_outdated = true;
         }
 
         if found_outdated {
-            self.roomid_lastroomactiveupdate.insert(
+            self.roomid_lasttypingupdate.insert(
                 &room_id.to_string().as_bytes(),
                 &globals.next_count()?.to_be_bytes(),
             )?;
@@ -199,16 +245,16 @@ impl RoomEdus {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Returns an iterator over all active events (e.g. typing notifications).
-    pub fn last_roomactive_update(
+    /// Returns the count of the last typing update in this room.
+    pub fn last_typing_update(
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         globals: &super::super::globals::Globals,
     ) -> Result<u64> {
-        self.roomactives_maintain(room_id, globals)?;
+        self.typings_maintain(room_id, globals)?;
 
         Ok(self
-            .roomid_lastroomactiveupdate
+            .roomid_lasttypingupdate
             .get(&room_id.to_string().as_bytes())?
             .map_or(Ok::<_, Error>(None), |bytes| {
                 Ok(Some(utils::u64_from_bytes(&bytes).map_err(|_| {
@@ -218,7 +264,7 @@ impl RoomEdus {
             .unwrap_or(0))
     }
 
-    pub fn roomactives_all(
+    pub fn typings_all(
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
     ) -> Result<SyncEphemeralRoomEvent<ruma::events::typing::TypingEventContent>> {
@@ -228,17 +274,15 @@ impl RoomEdus {
         let mut user_ids = Vec::new();
 
         for user_id in self
-            .roomactiveid_userid
+            .typingid_userid
             .scan_prefix(prefix)
             .values()
             .map(|user_id| {
                 Ok::<_, Error>(
                     UserId::try_from(utils::string_from_bytes(&user_id?).map_err(|_| {
-                        Error::bad_database("User ID in roomactiveid_userid is invalid unicode.")
+                        Error::bad_database("User ID in typingid_userid is invalid unicode.")
                     })?)
-                    .map_err(|_| {
-                        Error::bad_database("User ID in roomactiveid_userid is invalid.")
-                    })?,
+                    .map_err(|_| Error::bad_database("User ID in typingid_userid is invalid."))?,
                 )
             })
         {
@@ -250,30 +294,6 @@ impl RoomEdus {
         })
     }
 
-    /// Sets a private read marker at `count`.
-    pub fn room_read_set(&self, room_id: &RoomId, user_id: &UserId, count: u64) -> Result<()> {
-        let mut key = room_id.to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-        key.push(0xff);
-        key.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
-
-        self.roomuserid_lastread.insert(key, &count.to_be_bytes())?;
-
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
-    /// Returns the private read marker.
-    pub fn room_read_get(&self, room_id: &RoomId, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<Option<u64>> {
-        let mut key = room_id.to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-        key.push(0xff);
-        key.extend_from_slice(&user_id.to_string().as_bytes());
-
-        self.roomuserid_lastread.get(key)?.map_or(Ok(None), |v| {
-            Ok(Some(utils::u64_from_bytes(&v).map_err(|_| {
-                Error::bad_database("Invalid private read marker bytes")
-            })?))
-        })
-    }
-
     /// Adds a presence event which will be saved until a new event replaces it.
     ///
     /// Note: This method takes a RoomId because presence updates are always bound to rooms to