diff --git a/src/matrix/room/members/Heroes.js b/src/matrix/room/members/Heroes.js
index 79902579..74f69db1 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/members/Heroes.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/members/Heroes.js
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ function calculateRoomName(sortedMembers, summary) {
         if (sortedMembers.length > 1) {
             const lastMember = sortedMembers[sortedMembers.length - 1];
             const firstMembers = sortedMembers.slice(0, sortedMembers.length - 1);
-            return firstMembers.map(m => m.displayName).join(", ") + " and " + lastMember.displayName;
+            return firstMembers.map(m => m.name).join(", ") + " and " + lastMember.name;
         } else {
-            return sortedMembers[0].displayName;
+            return sortedMembers[0].name;
         }
     } else if (sortedMembers.length < countWithoutMe) {
-        return sortedMembers.map(m => m.displayName).join(", ") + ` and ${countWithoutMe} others`;
+        return sortedMembers.map(m => m.name).join(", ") + ` and ${countWithoutMe} others`;
     } else {
         // Empty Room
         return null;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export class Heroes {
         for (const member of updatedHeroMembers) {
             this._members.set(member.userId, member);
         }
-        const sortedMembers = Array.from(this._members.values()).sort((a, b) => a.displayName.localeCompare(b.displayName));
+        const sortedMembers = Array.from(this._members.values()).sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name));
         this._roomName = calculateRoomName(sortedMembers, summary);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/members/RoomMember.js b/src/matrix/room/members/RoomMember.js
index e6303fe4..02c3c292 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/members/RoomMember.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/members/RoomMember.js
@@ -27,21 +27,33 @@ export class RoomMember {
         if (typeof userId !== "string") {
             return;
         }
-        return this._fromMemberEventContent(roomId, userId, memberEvent.content);
+        const content = memberEvent.content;
+        const prevContent = memberEvent.unsigned?.prev_content;
+        const membership = content?.membership;
+        // fall back to prev_content for these as synapse doesn't (always?)
+        // put them on content for "leave" memberships
+        const displayName = content?.displayname || prevContent?.displayname;
+        const avatarUrl = content?.avatar_url || prevContent?.avatar_url;
+        return this._validateAndCreateMember(roomId, userId, membership, displayName, avatarUrl);
     }
-
+    /**
+     * Creates a (historical) member from a member event that is the next member event
+     * after the point in time where we need a member for. This will use `prev_content`.
+     */
     static fromReplacingMemberEvent(roomId, memberEvent) {
         const userId = memberEvent && memberEvent.state_key;
         if (typeof userId !== "string") {
             return;
         }
-        return this._fromMemberEventContent(roomId, userId, memberEvent.prev_content);
+        const content = memberEvent.unsigned?.prev_content
+        return this._validateAndCreateMember(roomId, userId,
+            content?.membership,
+            content?.displayname,
+            content?.avatar_url
+        );
     }
 
-    static _fromMemberEventContent(roomId, userId, content) {
-        const membership = content?.membership;
-        const avatarUrl = content?.avatar_url;
-        const displayName = content?.displayname;
+    static _validateAndCreateMember(roomId, userId, membership, displayName, avatarUrl) {
         if (typeof membership !== "string") {
             return;
         }
@@ -54,10 +66,23 @@ export class RoomMember {
         });
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return {String?} the display name, if any
+     */
     get displayName() {
         return this._data.displayName;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return {String} the display name or userId
+     */
+    get name() {
+        return this._data.displayName || this._data.userId;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return {String?} the avatar mxc url, if any
+     */
     get avatarUrl() {
         return this._data.avatarUrl;
     }
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/timeline/persistence/GapWriter.js b/src/matrix/room/timeline/persistence/GapWriter.js
index 834239f7..e9abded6 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/timeline/persistence/GapWriter.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/timeline/persistence/GapWriter.js
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@ export class GapWriter {
                 return RoomMember.fromReplacingMemberEvent(this._roomId, event)?.serialize();
             }
         }
-        // assuming the member hasn't changed within the chunk, just take it from state if it's there
-        const stateMemberEvent = state.find(isOurUser);
+        // assuming the member hasn't changed within the chunk, just take it from state if it's there.
+        // Don't assume state is set though, as it can be empty at the top of the timeline in some circumstances 
+        const stateMemberEvent = state?.find(isOurUser);
         if (stateMemberEvent) {
             return RoomMember.fromMemberEvent(this._roomId, stateMemberEvent)?.serialize();
         }