diff --git a/telethon/telegram_client.py b/telethon/telegram_client.py
index 545633e7..73ebcdbf 100644
--- a/telethon/telegram_client.py
+++ b/telethon/telegram_client.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import os
+import threading
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from mimetypes import guess_type
 from threading import RLock, Thread
-import threading
 
 from . import TelegramBareClient
 from . import helpers as utils
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ from .tl.functions.messages import (
     GetDialogsRequest, GetHistoryRequest, ReadHistoryRequest, SendMediaRequest,
     SendMessageRequest
 )
+from .tl.functions.updates import (
+    GetStateRequest
+)
 from .tl.functions.users import (
     GetUsersRequest
 )
@@ -155,6 +158,8 @@ class TelegramClient(TelegramBareClient):
                 target=self._recv_thread_impl
             )
             self._recv_thread.start()
+            if self.updates.enabled:
+                self.sync_updates()
 
         return ok
 
@@ -904,6 +909,13 @@ class TelegramClient(TelegramBareClient):
 
     # region Updates handling
 
+    def sync_updates(self):
+        """Synchronizes self.updates to their initial state. Will be
+           called automatically on connection if self.updates.enabled = True,
+           otherwise it should be called manually after enabling updates.
+        """
+        self.updates.process(self(GetStateRequest()))
+
     def add_update_handler(self, handler):
         """Adds an update handler (a function which takes a TLObject,
           an update, as its parameter) and listens for updates"""
diff --git a/telethon/update_state.py b/telethon/update_state.py
index fd1a0935..6d0b40cd 100644
--- a/telethon/update_state.py
+++ b/telethon/update_state.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-from threading import Lock, Event
 from collections import deque
+from datetime import datetime
+from threading import RLock, Event
+
+from .tl import types as tl
 
 
 class UpdateState:
@@ -9,10 +12,13 @@ class UpdateState:
     def __init__(self, enabled):
         self.enabled = enabled
         self.handlers = []
-        self._updates_lock = Lock()
+        self._updates_lock = RLock()
         self._updates_available = Event()
         self._updates = deque()
 
+        # https://core.telegram.org/api/updates
+        self._state = tl.updates.State(0, 0, datetime.now(), 0, 0)
+
     def has_any(self):
         """Returns True if a call to .pop_update() won't lock"""
         return self._updates_available.is_set()
@@ -31,11 +37,16 @@ class UpdateState:
         """Processes an update object. This method is normally called by
            the library itself.
         """
-        for handler in self.handlers:
-            handler(update)
+        if not self.enabled:
+            return
+
+        with self._updates_lock:
+            if isinstance(update, tl.updates.State):
+                self._state = update
+            elif not hasattr(update, 'pts') or update.pts > self._state.pts:
+                self._state.pts = getattr(update, 'pts', self._state.pts)
+                for handler in self.handlers:
+                    handler(update)
 
-        if self.enabled:
-            with self._updates_lock:
                 self._updates.append(update)
                 self._updates_available.set()
-
diff --git a/telethon_examples/interactive_telegram_client.py b/telethon_examples/interactive_telegram_client.py
index ae858cb7..f4ef57d4 100644
--- a/telethon_examples/interactive_telegram_client.py
+++ b/telethon_examples/interactive_telegram_client.py
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ class InteractiveTelegramClient(TelegramClient):
         print('Initializing interactive example...')
         super().__init__(
             session_user_id, api_id, api_hash,
-            connection_mode=ConnectionMode.TCP_ABRIDGED, proxy=proxy
+            connection_mode=ConnectionMode.TCP_ABRIDGED,
+            enable_updates=True,
+            proxy=proxy
         )
 
         # Store all the found media in memory here,