diff --git a/pkg/hicli/paginate.go b/pkg/hicli/paginate.go
index 8d7bf05..f37de3d 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/paginate.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/paginate.go
@@ -220,6 +220,10 @@ func (h *HiClient) PaginateServer(ctx context.Context, roomID id.RoomID, limit i
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to save session request for %s: %w", entry.SessionID, err)
 			}
 		}
+		err = h.DB.Event.FillReactionCounts(ctx, roomID, events)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to fill last edit row IDs: %w", err)
+		}
 		err = h.DB.Event.FillLastEditRowIDs(ctx, roomID, events)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to fill last edit row IDs: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/hicli/sync.go b/pkg/hicli/sync.go
index 7e3a3bd..39130f7 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/sync.go
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ func (h *HiClient) processEvent(
 		}
 	}
 	dbEvt := database.MautrixToEvent(evt)
+	dbEvt.Reactions = make(map[string]int)
 	contentWithoutFallback := removeReplyFallback(evt)
 	if contentWithoutFallback != nil {
 		dbEvt.Content = contentWithoutFallback