diff --git a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
index 7d7a61cbf..80b40d878 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ angular.module('modelService', [])
         aliasToRoomId[alias] = roomId;
     };
     
+    // user > room member lookups
+    var userIdToRoomMember = {
+        // user_id: [RoomMember, RoomMember, ...]
+    };
+    
     /***** Room Object *****/
     var Room = function Room(room_id) {
         this.room_id = room_id;
@@ -115,9 +120,17 @@ angular.module('modelService', [])
         storeStateEvent: function storeState(event) {
             this.state_events[event.type + event.state_key] = event;
             if (event.type === "m.room.member") {
+                var userId = event.state_key;
                 var rm = new RoomMember();
                 rm.event = event;
-                this.members[event.state_key] = rm;
+                rm.user = users[userId];
+                this.members[userId] = rm;
+                
+                // add to lookup so new m.presence events update the user
+                if (!userIdToRoomMember[userId]) {
+                    userIdToRoomMember[userId] = [];
+                }
+                userIdToRoomMember[userId].push(rm);
             }
             else if (event.type === "m.room.aliases") {
                 setRoomIdToAliasMapping(event.room_id, event.content.aliases[0]);
@@ -229,6 +242,14 @@ angular.module('modelService', [])
             var usr = new User();
             usr.event = event;
             users[event.content.user_id] = usr;
+            // update room members
+            var roomMembers = userIdToRoomMember[event.content.user_id];
+            if (roomMembers) {
+                for (var i=0; i<roomMembers.length; i++) {
+                    var rm = roomMembers[i];
+                    rm.user = usr;
+                }
+            }
         }
     
     };
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/room/room.html b/syweb/webclient/room/room.html
index ee7c9777a..d282a5dbe 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/room/room.html
+++ b/syweb/webclient/room/room.html
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
     
     <div id="usersTableWrapper" ng-hide="state.permission_denied">
         <div ng-repeat="member in members | orderMembersList" class="userAvatar">
-            <div class="userAvatarFrame" ng-class="(member.presence === 'online' ? 'online' : (member.presence === 'unavailable' ? 'unavailable' : '')) + ' ' + (member.membership == 'invite' ? 'invited' : '')">
+            <div class="userAvatarFrame" ng-class="(room.now.members[member.id].user.event.content.presence === 'online' ? 'online' : (room.now.members[member.id].user.event.content.presence === 'unavailable' ? 'unavailable' : '')) + ' ' + (member.membership == 'invite' ? 'invited' : '')">
                 <img class="userAvatarImage mouse-pointer" 
                      ng-click="$parent.goToUserPage(member.id)"
                      ng-src="{{member.avatar_url || 'img/default-profile.png'}}"