diff --git a/src/async_client.rs b/src/async_client.rs
index aae5f5d8..9321bfcc 100644
--- a/src/async_client.rs
+++ b/src/async_client.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::convert::{TryFrom, TryInto};
 use std::ops::Deref;
+use std::path::Path;
 use std::result::Result as StdResult;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for AsyncClient {
 #[derive(Default)]
 /// Configuration for the creation of the `AsyncClient`.
 ///
+/// When setting the `StateStore` it is up to the user to open/connect
+/// the storage backend before client creation.
+///
 /// # Example
 ///
 /// ```
@@ -86,6 +90,14 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for AsyncClient {
 ///     .unwrap()
 ///     .disable_ssl_verification();
 /// ```
+/// add the default `JsonStore` to the `AsyncClient`
+/// ```no_run
+///  # use matrix_sdk::{AsyncClientConfig, JsonStore};
+///
+/// let store = JsonStore::open("path/to/json").unwrap();
+/// let client_config = AsyncClientConfig::new()
+///     . state_store(Box::new(store));
+/// ```
 pub struct AsyncClientConfig {
     proxy: Option<reqwest::Proxy>,
     user_agent: Option<HeaderValue>,
@@ -145,7 +157,7 @@ impl AsyncClientConfig {
 
     /// Set a custom implementation of a `StateStore`.
     ///
-    /// The state store should be "connected" before being set.
+    /// The state store should be "connected/opened" before being set.
     pub fn state_store(mut self, store: Box<dyn StateStore>) -> Self {
         self.state_store = Some(store);
         self
@@ -331,6 +343,18 @@ impl AsyncClient {
         self.base_client.read().await.joined_rooms.clone()
     }
 
+    /// This allows `AsyncClient` to manually sync state with the provided `StateStore`.
+    ///
+    /// Returns true when a successful `StateStore` sync has completed.
+    /// # Examples
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// // TODO
+    /// ```
+    pub async fn sync_with_state_store(&self) -> Result<bool> {
+        self.base_client.write().await.sync_with_state_store().await
+    }
+
     /// Login to the server.
     ///
     /// # Arguments
@@ -573,11 +597,28 @@ impl AsyncClient {
 
     /// Synchronize the client's state with the latest state on the server.
     ///
+    /// If a `StateStore` is provided and this is the initial sync state will
+    /// be loaded from the state store.
+    ///
     /// # Arguments
     ///
     /// * `sync_settings` - Settings for the sync call.
     #[instrument]
-    pub async fn sync(&self, sync_settings: SyncSettings) -> Result<sync_events::IncomingResponse> {
+    pub async fn sync(
+        &self,
+        mut sync_settings: SyncSettings,
+    ) -> Result<sync_events::IncomingResponse> {
+        {
+            if self.base_client.read().await.is_state_store_synced() {
+                if let Ok(synced) = self.sync_with_state_store().await {
+                    if synced {
+                        // once synced, update the sync token to the last known state from `StateStore`.
+                        sync_settings.token = self.sync_token().await;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         let request = sync_events::Request {
             filter: None,
             since: sync_settings.token,
diff --git a/src/base_client.rs b/src/base_client.rs
index f1d04759..b10a5601 100644
--- a/src/base_client.rs
+++ b/src/base_client.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ pub struct Client {
     pub event_emitter: Option<Box<dyn EventEmitter>>,
     ///
     pub state_store: Option<Box<dyn StateStore>>,
+    /// Does the `Client` need to sync with the state store.
+    needs_state_store_sync: bool,
 
     #[cfg(feature = "encryption")]
     olm: Arc<Mutex<Option<OlmMachine>>>,
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ impl Client {
             push_ruleset: None,
             event_emitter: None,
             state_store: None,
+            needs_state_store_sync: true,
             #[cfg(feature = "encryption")]
             olm: Arc::new(Mutex::new(olm)),
         })
@@ -135,6 +138,39 @@ impl Client {
         self.event_emitter = Some(emitter);
     }
 
+    /// Returns true if the state store has been loaded into the client.
+    pub fn is_state_store_synced(&self) -> bool {
+        !self.needs_state_store_sync
+    }
+
+    /// When a client is provided the state store will load state from the `StateStore`.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `true` when a sync has successfully completed.
+    pub(crate) async fn sync_with_state_store(&mut self) -> Result<bool> {
+        if let Some(store) = self.state_store.as_ref() {
+            let ClientState {
+                session,
+                sync_token,
+                ignored_users,
+                push_ruleset,
+            } = store.load_client_state().await?;
+            let mut rooms = store.load_all_rooms().await?;
+
+            self.joined_rooms = rooms
+                .drain()
+                .map(|(k, room)| (k, Arc::new(RwLock::new(room))))
+                .collect();
+            self.session = session;
+            self.sync_token = sync_token;
+            self.ignored_users = ignored_users;
+            self.push_ruleset = push_ruleset;
+
+            self.needs_state_store_sync = false;
+        }
+
+        Ok(!self.needs_state_store_sync)
+    }
+
     /// Receive a login response and update the session of the client.
     ///
     /// # Arguments
@@ -158,25 +194,6 @@ impl Client {
             *olm = Some(OlmMachine::new(&response.user_id, &response.device_id)?);
         }
 
-        if let Some(store) = self.state_store.as_ref() {
-            let ClientState {
-                session,
-                sync_token,
-                ignored_users,
-                push_ruleset,
-            } = store.load_client_state().await?;
-            let mut rooms = store.load_all_rooms().await?;
-
-            self.joined_rooms = rooms
-                .drain()
-                .map(|(k, room)| (k, Arc::new(RwLock::new(room))))
-                .collect();
-            self.session = session;
-            self.sync_token = sync_token;
-            self.ignored_users = ignored_users;
-            self.push_ruleset = push_ruleset;
-        }
-
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/src/state/state_store.rs b/src/state/state_store.rs
index 98d2f7c3..964c4e84 100644
--- a/src/state/state_store.rs
+++ b/src/state/state_store.rs
@@ -242,16 +242,18 @@ mod test {
             AsyncClient::new_with_config(homeserver.clone(), Some(session.clone()), config)
                 .unwrap();
         let sync_settings = SyncSettings::new().timeout(std::time::Duration::from_millis(3000));
-        let _ = client.sync(sync_settings).await.unwrap();
+        // fake a sync to skip the load with the state store, this will fail as the files won't exist
+        // but the `AsyncClient::sync` will skip `StateStore::load_*`
+        assert!(client.sync_with_state_store().await.is_err());
+        // gather state to save to the db
+        let _ = client.sync(sync_settings.clone()).await.unwrap();
 
-        // once logged in without syncing the client is updated from the state store
+        // now syncing the client will update from the state store
         let config =
             AsyncClientConfig::default().state_store(Box::new(JsonStore::open(path).unwrap()));
-        let client = AsyncClient::new_with_config(homeserver, None, config).unwrap();
-        client
-            .login("example", "wordpass", None, None)
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
+        let client =
+            AsyncClient::new_with_config(homeserver, Some(session.clone()), config).unwrap();
+        client.sync(sync_settings).await.unwrap();
 
         let base_client = client.base_client.read().await;