diff --git a/backfill.go b/backfill.go
index 607749c..f7abe5b 100644
--- a/backfill.go
+++ b/backfill.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"go.mau.fi/mautrix-gmessages/database"
 )
 
-func (portal *Portal) initialForwardBackfill(user *User, markRead bool) {
+func (portal *Portal) initialForwardBackfill(user *User, markRead, allowNotify bool) {
 	// This is only called from CreateMatrixRoom which locks forwardBackfillLock
 	defer portal.forwardBackfillLock.Unlock()
 	log := portal.zlog.With().
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) initialForwardBackfill(user *User, markRead bool) {
 		Logger()
 	ctx := log.WithContext(context.TODO())
 
-	portal.forwardBackfill(ctx, user, time.Time{}, portal.bridge.Config.Bridge.Backfill.InitialLimit, markRead)
+	portal.forwardBackfill(ctx, user, time.Time{}, portal.bridge.Config.Bridge.Backfill.InitialLimit, markRead, allowNotify)
 }
 
 const recentBackfillDelay = 15 * time.Second
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) missedForwardBackfill(user *User, lastMessageTS time.Time,
 		Str("latest_message_id", lastMessageID).
 		Time("last_bridged_ts", portal.lastMessageTS).
 		Msg("Backfilling missed messages")
-	portal.forwardBackfill(ctx, user, portal.lastMessageTS, portal.bridge.Config.Bridge.Backfill.MissedLimit, markRead)
+	portal.forwardBackfill(ctx, user, portal.lastMessageTS, portal.bridge.Config.Bridge.Backfill.MissedLimit, markRead, true)
 }
 
 func (portal *Portal) deterministicEventID(messageID string, part int) id.EventID {
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) deterministicEventID(messageID string, part int) id.EventI
 	return id.EventID(fmt.Sprintf("$%s:messages.google.com", base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(sum[:])))
 }
 
-func (portal *Portal) forwardBackfill(ctx context.Context, user *User, after time.Time, limit int, markRead bool) bool {
+func (portal *Portal) forwardBackfill(ctx context.Context, user *User, after time.Time, limit int, markRead, allowNotify bool) bool {
 	if limit == 0 {
 		return false
 	}
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) forwardBackfill(ctx context.Context, user *User, after tim
 
 	batchSending := portal.bridge.SpecVersions.Supports(mautrix.BeeperFeatureBatchSending)
 	converted := make([]*ConvertedMessage, 0, len(resp.Messages))
-	maxTS := portal.lastMessageTS
+	maxTS := time.Time{}
 	for i := len(resp.Messages) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 		evt := resp.Messages[i]
 		isTooOld := !time.UnixMicro(evt.Timestamp).After(after)
@@ -167,7 +167,8 @@ func (portal *Portal) forwardBackfill(ctx context.Context, user *User, after tim
 		if markRead {
 			markReadBy = user.MXID
 		}
-		portal.backfillSendBatch(ctx, converted, markReadBy)
+		allowNotify = allowNotify && time.Since(maxTS) < 24*time.Hour
+		portal.backfillSendBatch(ctx, converted, markReadBy, allowNotify)
 	} else {
 		lastEventID := portal.backfillSendLegacy(ctx, converted)
 		if markRead && user.DoublePuppetIntent != nil {
@@ -177,11 +178,13 @@ func (portal *Portal) forwardBackfill(ctx context.Context, user *User, after tim
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	portal.lastMessageTS = maxTS
+	if maxTS.After(portal.lastMessageTS) {
+		portal.lastMessageTS = maxTS
+	}
 	return true
 }
 
-func (portal *Portal) backfillSendBatch(ctx context.Context, converted []*ConvertedMessage, markReadBy id.UserID) {
+func (portal *Portal) backfillSendBatch(ctx context.Context, converted []*ConvertedMessage, markReadBy id.UserID, allowNotify bool) {
 	log := zerolog.Ctx(ctx)
 	events := make([]*event.Event, 0, len(converted))
 	dbMessages := make([]*database.Message, 0, len(converted))
@@ -250,7 +253,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) backfillSendBatch(ctx context.Context, converted []*Conver
 	_, err := portal.MainIntent().BeeperBatchSend(portal.MXID, &mautrix.ReqBeeperBatchSend{
 		Forward:          forward,
 		MarkReadBy:       markReadBy,
-		SendNotification: forward && markReadBy == "",
+		SendNotification: forward && markReadBy == "" && allowNotify,
 		Events:           events,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index dd2b2b7..19c4785 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func fnPM(ce *WrappedCommandEvent) {
 		ce.Reply("Failed to start chat: no conversation in response")
 	} else if portal := ce.User.GetPortalByID(resp.Conversation.ConversationID); portal.MXID != "" {
 		ce.Reply("Chat already exists at [%s](https://matrix.to/#/%s)", portal.MXID, portal.MXID)
-	} else if err = portal.CreateMatrixRoom(ce.User, resp.Conversation); err != nil {
+	} else if err = portal.CreateMatrixRoom(ce.User, resp.Conversation, false); err != nil {
 		ce.ZLog.Err(err).Msg("Failed to create matrix room")
 		ce.Reply("Failed to create portal room for conversation")
 	} else {
diff --git a/portal.go b/portal.go
index b199014..632bff6 100644
--- a/portal.go
+++ b/portal.go
@@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) GetEncryptionEventContent() (evt *event.EncryptionEventCon
 	return
 }
 
-func (portal *Portal) CreateMatrixRoom(user *User, conv *gmproto.Conversation) error {
+func (portal *Portal) CreateMatrixRoom(user *User, conv *gmproto.Conversation, isFromSync bool) error {
 	portal.roomCreateLock.Lock()
 	defer portal.roomCreateLock.Unlock()
 	if len(portal.MXID) > 0 {
@@ -1418,7 +1418,8 @@ func (portal *Portal) CreateMatrixRoom(user *User, conv *gmproto.Conversation) e
 		portal.ensureUserInvited(user)
 	}
 	user.syncChatDoublePuppetDetails(portal, conv, true)
-	go portal.initialForwardBackfill(user, !conv.GetUnread())
+	allowNotify := !isFromSync
+	go portal.initialForwardBackfill(user, !conv.GetUnread(), allowNotify)
 	go portal.addToPersonalSpace(user, true)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/provisioning.go b/provisioning.go
index 0e5483c..2b069ef 100644
--- a/provisioning.go
+++ b/provisioning.go
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ func (prov *ProvisioningAPI) StartChat(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	convCopy.LatestMessage = nil
 	prov.zlog.Debug().Any("conversation_data", convCopy).Msg("Got conversation data for start chat")
 	portal := user.GetPortalByID(resp.Conversation.ConversationID)
-	err = portal.CreateMatrixRoom(user, resp.Conversation)
+	err = portal.CreateMatrixRoom(user, resp.Conversation, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		prov.zlog.Err(err).Msg("Failed to create matrix room")
 		jsonResponse(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, Error{
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index 8005ed4..6ecae7a 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ func (user *User) syncConversation(v *gmproto.Conversation, source string) {
 			return
 		}
 		log.Debug().Msg("Creating portal for conversation")
-		err := portal.CreateMatrixRoom(user, v)
+		err := portal.CreateMatrixRoom(user, v, source == "sync")
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Err(err).Msg("Error creating Matrix room from conversation event")
 		}