diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec20ea4890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import collections
+
+
+SyncConfig = collections.namedtuple("SyncConfig", [
+    "user",
+    "device",
+    "since",
+    "limit",
+    "gap",
+    "sort"
+    "backfill"
+    "filter",
+)
+
+
+RoomSyncResult = collections.namedtuple("RoomSyncResult", [
+    "room_id",
+    "limited",
+    "published",
+    "prev_batch",
+    "events",
+    "state",
+    "event_map",
+])
+
+
+class SyncResult(collections.namedtuple("SyncResult", [
+    "next_batch", # Token for the next sync
+    "private_user_data", # List of private events for the user.
+    "public_user_data", # List of public events for all users.
+    "rooms", # RoomSyncResult for each room.
+])):
+    __slots__ = []
+
+    def __nonzero__(self):
+        return self.private_user_data or self.public_user_data or self.rooms
+
+
+class SyncHandler(BaseHandler):
+
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        super(SyncHandler, self).__init__(hs)
+        self.event_sources = hs.get_event_sources()
+
+    def wait_for_sync_for_user(self, sync_config, since_token=None, timeout=0):
+        if timeout == 0:
+            return self.current_sync_for_user(sync_config, since)
+        else:
+            def current_sync_callback(since_token):
+                return self.current_sync_for_user(
+                    self, since_token, sync_config
+                )
+            return self.notifier.wait_for_events(
+                sync_config.filter, since_token, current_sync_callback
+            )
+        defer.returnValue(result)
+
+    def current_sync_for_user(self, sync_config, since_token=None):
+        if since_token is None:
+            return self.inital_sync(sync_config)
+        else:
+            return self.incremental_sync(sync_config)
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def initial_sync(self, sync_config):
+        now_token = yield self.event_sources.get_current_token()
+
+        presence_stream = self.event_sources.sources["presence"]
+        # TODO (markjh): This looks wrong, shouldn't we be getting the presence
+        # UP to the present rather than after the present?
+        pagination_config = PaginationConfig(from_token=now_token)
+        presence, _ = yield presence_stream.get_pagination_rows(
+            user, pagination_config.get_source_config("presence"), None
+        )
+        room_list = yield self.store.get_rooms_for_user_where_membership_is(
+            user_id=user_id,
+            membership_list=[Membership.INVITE, Membership.JOIN]
+        )
+
+        # TODO (markjh): Does public mean "published"?
+        published_rooms = yield self.store.get_rooms(is_public=True)
+        published_room_ids = set(r["room_id"] for r in public_rooms)
+
+        for event in room_list:
+
+            messages, token = yield self.store.get_recent_events_for_room(
+                event.room_id,
+                limit=sync_config.limit,
+                end_token=now_token.room_key,
+            )
+            prev_batch_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[0])
+            current_state = yield self.state_handler.get_current_state(
+                event.room_id
+            )
+
+            rooms.append(RoomSyncResult(
+                room_id=event.room_id,
+                published=event.room_id in published_room_ids,
+
+
+
+
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def incremental_sync(self, sync_config):
+        
+
+
+
+