diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/timeline.rs b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/timeline.rs
index 49720bfd1..8aa1c8a5b 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/timeline.rs
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-ffi/src/timeline.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ impl TimelineItem {
             }
             Item::Virtual(VItem::ReadMarker) => Some(VirtualTimelineItem::ReadMarker),
             Item::Virtual(VItem::LoadingIndicator) => Some(VirtualTimelineItem::LoadingIndicator),
+            Item::Virtual(VItem::TimelineStart) => Some(VirtualTimelineItem::TimelineStart),
             Item::Event(_) => None,
         }
     }
@@ -596,6 +597,12 @@ pub enum VirtualTimelineItem {
 
     /// A loading indicator for a pagination request.
     LoadingIndicator,
+
+    /// The beginning of the visible timeline.
+    ///
+    /// There might be earlier events the user is not allowed to see due to
+    /// history visibility.
+    TimelineStart,
 }
 
 #[extension_trait]
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/event_handler.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/event_handler.rs
index 82c2f34d1..6a7ede3de 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/event_handler.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/event_handler.rs
@@ -525,7 +525,10 @@ impl<'a, 'i> TimelineEventHandler<'a, 'i> {
                         // divider at position 1 and the new event at 2 rather than 0 and 1.
                         let offset =
                             match self.timeline_items.first().and_then(|item| item.as_virtual()) {
-                                Some(VirtualTimelineItem::LoadingIndicator) => 1,
+                                Some(
+                                    VirtualTimelineItem::LoadingIndicator
+                                    | VirtualTimelineItem::TimelineStart,
+                                ) => 1,
                                 _ => 0,
                             };
 
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/inner.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/inner.rs
index c4cbd5cdb..ab6dcac85 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/inner.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/inner.rs
@@ -156,15 +156,19 @@ impl TimelineInner {
         lock.insert_cloned(0, Arc::new(TimelineItem::loading_indicator()));
     }
 
-    #[instrument(skip_all)]
-    pub(super) fn remove_loading_indicator(&self) {
+    #[instrument(skip(self))]
+    pub(super) fn remove_loading_indicator(&self, more_messages: bool) {
         let mut lock = self.items.lock_mut();
         if !lock.first().map_or(false, |item| item.is_loading_indicator()) {
             warn!("There is no loading indicator");
             return;
         }
 
-        lock.remove(0);
+        if more_messages {
+            lock.remove(0);
+        } else {
+            lock.set_cloned(0, Arc::new(TimelineItem::timeline_start()))
+        }
     }
 
     pub(super) async fn handle_fully_read(&self, raw: Raw<FullyReadEvent>) {
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/mod.rs
index 1f08f3540..a4853271c 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/mod.rs
@@ -182,8 +182,9 @@ impl Timeline {
             num_updates += self.inner.handle_back_paginated_event(room_ev, own_user_id).await;
         }
 
-        self.inner.remove_loading_indicator();
-        let outcome = PaginationOutcome { more_messages: messages.end.is_some(), num_updates };
+        let more_messages = messages.end.is_some();
+        self.inner.remove_loading_indicator(more_messages);
+        let outcome = PaginationOutcome { more_messages, num_updates };
         *start_lock = messages.end;
 
         Ok(outcome)
@@ -343,6 +344,10 @@ impl TimelineItem {
         Self::Virtual(VirtualTimelineItem::LoadingIndicator)
     }
 
+    fn timeline_start() -> Self {
+        Self::Virtual(VirtualTimelineItem::TimelineStart)
+    }
+
     fn is_read_marker(&self) -> bool {
         matches!(self, Self::Virtual(VirtualTimelineItem::ReadMarker))
     }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/virtual_item.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/virtual_item.rs
index 2bd5c7aa8..ff8b21ffe 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/virtual_item.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/room/timeline/virtual_item.rs
@@ -34,4 +34,10 @@ pub enum VirtualTimelineItem {
 
     /// A loading indicator for a pagination request.
     LoadingIndicator,
+
+    /// The beginning of the visible timeline.
+    ///
+    /// There might be earlier events the user is not allowed to see due to
+    /// history visibility.
+    TimelineStart,
 }
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/room/timeline.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/room/timeline.rs
index 049b3504a..7b32b3bec 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/room/timeline.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/tests/integration/room/timeline.rs
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ async fn back_pagination() {
         .await;
 
     timeline.paginate_backwards(uint!(10)).await.unwrap();
+    server.reset().await;
 
     let loading = assert_matches!(
         timeline_stream.next().await,
@@ -297,6 +298,34 @@ async fn back_pagination() {
 
     // Removal of the loading indicator
     assert_matches!(timeline_stream.next().await, Some(VecDiff::RemoveAt { index: 0 }));
+
+    Mock::given(method("GET"))
+        .and(path_regex(r"^/_matrix/client/r0/rooms/.*/messages$"))
+        .and(header("authorization", "Bearer 1234"))
+        .respond_with(ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(json!({
+            // Usually there would be a few events here, but we just want to test
+            // that the timeline start item is added when there is no end token
+            "chunk": [],
+            "start": "t47409-4357353_219380_26003_2269"
+        })))
+        .expect(1)
+        .named("messages_batch_1")
+        .mount(&server)
+        .await;
+
+    timeline.paginate_backwards(uint!(10)).await.unwrap();
+
+    let loading = assert_matches!(
+        timeline_stream.next().await,
+        Some(VecDiff::InsertAt { index: 0, value }) => value
+    );
+    assert_matches!(loading.as_virtual().unwrap(), VirtualTimelineItem::LoadingIndicator);
+
+    let loading = assert_matches!(
+        timeline_stream.next().await,
+        Some(VecDiff::UpdateAt { index: 0, value }) => value
+    );
+    assert_matches!(loading.as_virtual().unwrap(), VirtualTimelineItem::TimelineStart);
 }
 
 #[async_test]