diff --git a/src/stores/widgets/StopGapWidget.ts b/src/stores/widgets/StopGapWidget.ts
index daa1e0e7873..f0c64b1d4af 100644
--- a/src/stores/widgets/StopGapWidget.ts
+++ b/src/stores/widgets/StopGapWidget.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import { MatrixEvent } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/event";
 import { ELEMENT_CLIENT_ID } from "../../identifiers";
 import { getUserLanguage } from "../../languageHandler";
 import { WidgetVariableCustomisations } from "../../customisations/WidgetVariables";
+import { arrayFastClone } from "../../utils/arrays";
 
 // TODO: Destroy all of this code
 
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ export class StopGapWidget extends EventEmitter {
     private scalarToken: string;
     private roomId?: string;
     private kind: WidgetKind;
+    private readUpToMap: {[roomId: string]: string} = {}; // room ID to event ID
 
     constructor(private appTileProps: IAppTileProps) {
         super();
@@ -294,6 +296,14 @@ export class StopGapWidget extends EventEmitter {
             this.messaging.transport.reply(ev.detail, <IWidgetApiRequestEmptyData>{});
         });
 
+        // Populate the map of "read up to" events for this widget with the current event in every room.
+        // This is a bit inefficient, but should be okay. We do this for all rooms in case the widget
+        // requests timeline capabilities in other rooms down the road. It's just easier to manage here.
+        for (const room of MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms()) {
+            // Timelines are most recent last
+            this.readUpToMap[room.roomId] = arrayFastClone(room.getLiveTimeline().getEvents()).reverse()[0].getId();
+        }
+
         // Attach listeners for feeding events - the underlying widget classes handle permissions for us
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on('event', this.onEvent);
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on('Event.decrypted', this.onEventDecrypted);
@@ -421,6 +431,43 @@ export class StopGapWidget extends EventEmitter {
     private feedEvent(ev: MatrixEvent) {
         if (!this.messaging) return;
 
+        // Check to see if this event would be before or after our "read up to" marker. If it's
+        // before, or we can't decide, then we assume the widget will have already seen the event.
+        // If the event is after, or we don't have a marker for the room, then we'll send it through.
+        //
+        // This approach of "read up to" prevents widgets receiving decryption spam from startup or
+        // receiving out-of-order events from backfill and such.
+        const upToEventId = this.readUpToMap[ev.getRoomId()];
+        if (upToEventId) {
+            // Small optimization for exact match (prevent search)
+            if (upToEventId === ev.getId()) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            let isBeforeMark = true;
+
+            // Timelines are most recent last, so reverse the order and limit ourselves to 100 events
+            // to avoid overusing the CPU.
+            const timeline = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(ev.getRoomId()).getLiveTimeline();
+            const events = arrayFastClone(timeline.getEvents()).reverse().slice(0, 100);
+
+            for (const timelineEvent of events) {
+                if (timelineEvent.getId() === upToEventId) {
+                    break;
+                } else if (timelineEvent.getId() === ev.getId()) {
+                    isBeforeMark = false;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (isBeforeMark) {
+                // Ignore the event: it is before our interest.
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        this.readUpToMap[ev.getRoomId()] = ev.getId();
+
         const raw = ev.getEffectiveEvent();
         this.messaging.feedEvent(raw).catch(e => {
             console.error("Error sending event to widget: ", e);