diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
index 3c14f3dd34d..0d40c1046a0 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/pagination.rs
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ impl RoomPagination {
 
         let new_gap = paginator.prev_batch_token().map(|prev_token| Gap { prev_token });
 
-        let result = state
+        let (backpagination_outcome, updates_as_vector_diffs) = state
             .with_events_mut(move |room_events| {
                 // Note: The chunk could be empty.
                 //
@@ -227,20 +227,18 @@ impl RoomPagination {
                     debug!("not storing previous batch token, because we deduplicated all new back-paginated events");
                 }
 
-                let sync_timeline_events_diffs = room_events.updates_as_vector_diffs();
-
-                if !sync_timeline_events_diffs.is_empty() {
-                    let _ = self.inner.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::UpdateTimelineEvents {
-                        diffs: sync_timeline_events_diffs,
-                        origin: EventsOrigin::Sync,
-                    });
-                }
-
                 BackPaginationOutcome { events, reached_start }
             })
             .await?;
 
-        Ok(Some(result))
+        if !updates_as_vector_diffs.is_empty() {
+            let _ = self.inner.sender.send(RoomEventCacheUpdate::UpdateTimelineEvents {
+                diffs: updates_as_vector_diffs,
+                origin: EventsOrigin::Sync,
+            });
+        }
+
+        Ok(Some(backpagination_outcome))
     }
 
     /// Get the latest pagination token, as stored in the room events linked
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/events.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/events.rs
index bc7843ff9f0..eb352c99580 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/events.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/events.rs
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ impl RoomEvents {
     /// See [`AsVector`] to learn more.
     ///
     /// [`Update`]: matrix_sdk_base::linked_chunk::Update
-    #[allow(unused)] // gonna be useful very soon! but we need it now for test purposes
     pub fn updates_as_vector_diffs(&mut self) -> Vec<VectorDiff<Event>> {
         self.chunks_updates_as_vectordiffs.take()
     }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
index 93c30e7513c..b0efde1395d 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/event_cache/room/mod.rs
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
         // Add the previous back-pagination token (if present), followed by the timeline
         // events themselves.
         let sync_timeline_events_diffs = {
-            let sync_timeline_events_diffs = state
+            let (_, sync_timeline_events_diffs) = state
                 .with_events_mut(|room_events| {
                     if let Some(prev_token) = &prev_batch {
                         room_events.push_gap(Gap { prev_token: prev_token.clone() });
@@ -556,8 +556,6 @@ impl RoomEventCacheInner {
                             .replace_gap_at([], prev_gap_id)
                             .expect("we obtained the valid position beforehand");
                     }
-
-                    room_events.updates_as_vector_diffs()
                 })
                 .await?;
 
@@ -641,6 +639,7 @@ fn chunk_debug_string(content: &ChunkContent<SyncTimelineEvent, Gap>) -> String
 mod private {
     use std::sync::Arc;
 
+    use eyeball_im::VectorDiff;
     use matrix_sdk_base::{
         deserialized_responses::{SyncTimelineEvent, TimelineEventKind},
         event_cache::{
@@ -846,13 +845,18 @@ mod private {
 
         /// Gives a temporary mutable handle to the underlying in-memory events,
         /// and will propagate changes to the storage once done.
+        ///
+        /// Returns the output of the given callback, as well as updates to the
+        /// linked chunk, as vector diff, so the caller may propagate
+        /// such updates, if needs be.
         pub async fn with_events_mut<O, F: FnOnce(&mut RoomEvents) -> O>(
             &mut self,
             func: F,
-        ) -> Result<O, EventCacheError> {
+        ) -> Result<(O, Vec<VectorDiff<SyncTimelineEvent>>), EventCacheError> {
             let output = func(&mut self.events);
             self.propagate_changes().await?;
-            Ok(output)
+            let updates_as_vector_diffs = self.events.updates_as_vector_diffs();
+            Ok((output, updates_as_vector_diffs))
         }
     }