diff --git a/crates/ruma-events-macros/Cargo.toml b/crates/ruma-events-macros/Cargo.toml
index 6f29b62b..2236590e 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-events-macros/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/ruma-events-macros/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ version = "0.24.3"
 [lib]
 proc-macro = true
 
+[features]
+compat = []
+
 [dependencies]
 proc-macro-crate = "1.0.0"
 proc-macro2 = "1.0.24"
diff --git a/crates/ruma-events-macros/src/event.rs b/crates/ruma-events-macros/src/event.rs
index ad6c925d..80b9fab2 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-events-macros/src/event.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-events-macros/src/event.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pub fn expand_event(input: DeriveInput) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     };
 
     let serialize_impl = expand_serialize_event(&input, &var, &fields, &ruma_events);
-    let deserialize_impl = expand_deserialize_event(&input, &var, &fields, &ruma_events)?;
+    let deserialize_impl = expand_deserialize_event(&input, &kind, &var, &fields, &ruma_events)?;
     let conversion_impl = expand_from_into(&input, &kind, &var, &fields, &ruma_events);
 
     let eq_impl = expand_eq_ord_event(&input, &fields);
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ fn expand_serialize_event(
 
 fn expand_deserialize_event(
     input: &DeriveInput,
+    _kind: &EventKind,
     var: &EventKindVariation,
     fields: &[Field],
     ruma_events: &TokenStream,
@@ -154,12 +155,30 @@ fn expand_deserialize_event(
             let ty = &field.ty;
             if name == "content" || name == "prev_content" {
                 if is_generic {
-                    quote! { Box<#serde_json::value::RawValue> }
+                    quote! { ::std::boxed::Box<#serde_json::value::RawValue> }
                 } else {
                     quote! { #content_type }
                 }
             } else {
-                quote! { #ty }
+                #[allow(unused_mut)]
+                let mut ty = quote! { #ty };
+
+                #[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+                if matches!(_kind, EventKind::State) && name == "unsigned" {
+                    match var {
+                        EventKindVariation::Full | EventKindVariation::Sync => {
+                            ty = quote! { #ruma_events::UnsignedWithPrevContent };
+                        }
+                        EventKindVariation::Redacted | EventKindVariation::RedactedSync => {
+                            ty = quote! { #ruma_events::RedactedUnsignedWithPrevContent };
+                        }
+                        EventKindVariation::Stripped
+                        | EventKindVariation::Initial
+                        | EventKindVariation::RedactedStripped => unreachable!(),
+                    }
+                }
+
+                ty
             }
         })
         .collect();
@@ -207,16 +226,43 @@ fn expand_deserialize_event(
                 }
             } else if name == "prev_content" {
                 if is_generic {
-                    quote! {
+                    #[allow(unused_mut)]
+                    let mut res = quote! {
                         let prev_content = prev_content.map(|json| {
                             C::from_parts(&event_type, &json).map_err(A::Error::custom)
                         }).transpose()?;
-                    }
+                    };
+
+                    #[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+                    if let EventKind::State = _kind {
+                        res = quote! {
+                            let prev_content = prev_content
+                                .or_else(|| unsigned.as_mut().and_then(|u| u.prev_content.take()));
+                            #res
+                        };
+                    };
+
+                    res
                 } else {
                     TokenStream::new()
                 }
             } else if name == "unsigned" {
-                quote! { let unsigned = unsigned.unwrap_or_default(); }
+                #[allow(unused_mut)]
+                let mut res = quote! {
+                    let unsigned = unsigned.unwrap_or_default();
+                };
+
+                #[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+                if matches!(_kind, EventKind::State) {
+                    res = quote! {
+                        let unsigned = unsigned.map_or_else(
+                            ::std::default::Default::default,
+                            ::std::convert::From::from,
+                        );
+                    };
+                }
+
+                res
             } else {
                 let attrs: Vec<_> = field
                     .attrs
diff --git a/crates/ruma-events/Cargo.toml b/crates/ruma-events/Cargo.toml
index 8ee1fbd9..028a702c 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-events/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/ruma-events/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ all-features = true
 rustdoc-args = ["--cfg", "docsrs"]
 
 [features]
-compat = []
+compat = ["ruma-events-macros/compat"]
 markdown = ["pulldown-cmark"]
 
 unstable-exhaustive-types = []
diff --git a/crates/ruma-events/src/lib.rs b/crates/ruma-events/src/lib.rs
index 6e9ba9e4..f4810675 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-events/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-events/src/lib.rs
@@ -194,6 +194,10 @@ pub use self::{
     unsigned::{RedactedUnsigned, Unsigned},
 };
 
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+pub use unsigned::{RedactedUnsignedWithPrevContent, UnsignedWithPrevContent};
+
 /// The base trait that all event content types implement.
 ///
 /// Implementing this trait allows content types to be serialized as well as deserialized.
diff --git a/crates/ruma-events/src/unsigned.rs b/crates/ruma-events/src/unsigned.rs
index b8d38b52..416f42d3 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-events/src/unsigned.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-events/src/unsigned.rs
@@ -74,3 +74,50 @@ impl RedactedUnsigned {
         self.redacted_because.is_none()
     }
 }
+
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+pub struct UnsignedWithPrevContent {
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    age: Option<Int>,
+
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    transaction_id: Option<String>,
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "unstable-pre-spec")]
+    #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "unstable-pre-spec")))]
+    #[serde(rename = "m.relations", skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    relations: Option<Relations>,
+
+    pub prev_content: Option<Box<serde_json::value::RawValue>>,
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+impl From<UnsignedWithPrevContent> for Unsigned {
+    fn from(u: UnsignedWithPrevContent) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            age: u.age,
+            transaction_id: u.transaction_id,
+            #[cfg(feature = "unstable-pre-spec")]
+            relations: u.relations,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+pub struct RedactedUnsignedWithPrevContent {
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    redacted_because: Option<Box<SyncRedactionEvent>>,
+
+    pub prev_content: Option<Box<serde_json::value::RawValue>>,
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "compat")]
+impl From<RedactedUnsignedWithPrevContent> for RedactedUnsigned {
+    fn from(u: RedactedUnsignedWithPrevContent) -> Self {
+        Self { redacted_because: u.redacted_because }
+    }
+}