diff --git a/synapse/storage/__init__.py b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
index a61e83d5de..0099a3f5bb 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ class DataStore(RoomMemberStore, RoomStore,
         self._device_inbox_id_gen = StreamIdGenerator(
             db_conn, "device_max_stream_id", "stream_id"
         )
+        self._public_room_id_gen = StreamIdGenerator(
+            db_conn, "public_room_list_stream", "stream_id"
+        )
 
         self._transaction_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "sent_transactions", "id")
         self._state_groups_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "state_groups", "id")
diff --git a/synapse/storage/event_federation.py b/synapse/storage/event_federation.py
index 9ec67ad0c4..ec6dbe5492 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/event_federation.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/event_federation.py
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ class EventFederationStore(SQLBaseStore):
         """)
 
         def get_forward_extremeties_for_room_txn(txn):
-            txn.execute(sql, (room_id, stream_ordering,))
+            txn.execute(sql, (stream_ordering, room_id))
             rows = txn.fetchall()
             return [event_id for event_id, in rows]
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/room.py b/synapse/storage/room.py
index 8251f58670..ef0d79891e 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/room.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/room.py
@@ -48,15 +48,31 @@ class RoomStore(SQLBaseStore):
             StoreError if the room could not be stored.
         """
         try:
-            yield self._simple_insert(
-                "rooms",
-                {
-                    "room_id": room_id,
-                    "creator": room_creator_user_id,
-                    "is_public": is_public,
-                },
-                desc="store_room",
-            )
+            def store_room_txn(txn, next_id):
+                self._simple_insert_txn(
+                    txn,
+                    "rooms",
+                    {
+                        "room_id": room_id,
+                        "creator": room_creator_user_id,
+                        "is_public": is_public,
+                    },
+                )
+                if is_public:
+                    self._simple_insert_txn(
+                        txn,
+                        table="public_room_list_stream",
+                        values={
+                            "stream_id": next_id,
+                            "room_id": room_id,
+                            "visibility": is_public,
+                        }
+                    )
+            with self._public_room_id_gen.get_next() as next_id:
+                yield self.runInteraction(
+                    "store_room_txn",
+                    store_room_txn, next_id,
+                )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error("store_room with room_id=%s failed: %s", room_id, e)
             raise StoreError(500, "Problem creating room.")
@@ -77,13 +93,45 @@ class RoomStore(SQLBaseStore):
             allow_none=True,
         )
 
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def set_room_is_public(self, room_id, is_public):
-        return self._simple_update_one(
-            table="rooms",
-            keyvalues={"room_id": room_id},
-            updatevalues={"is_public": is_public},
-            desc="set_room_is_public",
-        )
+        def set_room_is_public_txn(txn, next_id):
+            self._simple_update_one_txn(
+                txn,
+                table="rooms",
+                keyvalues={"room_id": room_id},
+                updatevalues={"is_public": is_public},
+            )
+
+            entries = self._simple_select_list_txn(
+                txn,
+                table="public_room_list_stream",
+                keyvalues={"room_id": room_id},
+                retcols=("stream_id", "visibility"),
+            )
+
+            entries.sort(key=lambda r: r["stream_id"])
+
+            add_to_stream = True
+            if entries:
+                add_to_stream = bool(entries[-1]["visibility"]) != is_public
+
+            if add_to_stream:
+                self._simple_insert_txn(
+                    txn,
+                    table="public_room_list_stream",
+                    values={
+                        "stream_id": next_id,
+                        "room_id": room_id,
+                        "visibility": is_public,
+                    }
+                )
+
+        with self._public_room_id_gen.get_next() as next_id:
+            yield self.runInteraction(
+                "set_room_is_public",
+                set_room_is_public_txn, next_id,
+            )
 
     def get_public_room_ids(self):
         return self._simple_select_onecol(
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/35/public_room_list_change_stream.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/35/public_room_list_change_stream.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd2bf2e28a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/35/public_room_list_change_stream.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/* Copyright 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+
+CREATE TABLE public_room_list_stream (
+    stream_id BIGINT NOT NULL,
+    room_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+    visibility BOOLEAN NOT NULL
+);
+
+INSERT INTO public_room_list_stream (stream_id, room_id, visibility)
+    SELECT 1, room_id, is_public FROM rooms
+    WHERE is_public = CAST(1 AS BOOLEAN);
+
+CREATE INDEX public_room_list_stream_idx on public_room_list_stream(
+    stream_id
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX public_room_list_stream_rm_idx on public_room_list_stream(
+    room_id, stream_id
+);