diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/stream_chat/CHANGELOG.md
index 2937a2c9..7b0b41ab 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## Upcomming
+
+🐞 Fixed
+- Fixed initializing last synced date.
+
 ## 5.1.0
 
 ✅ Added
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
index a9569c20..4f2dbda3 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
@@ -453,6 +453,15 @@ class StreamChatClient {
         if (persistenceEnabled) {
           await sync(cids: cids, lastSyncAt: _lastSyncedAt);
         }
+      } else {
+        // channels are empty, assuming it's a fresh start
+        // and making sure `lastSyncAt` is initialized
+        if (persistenceEnabled) {
+          final lastSyncAt = await _chatPersistenceClient?.getLastSyncAt();
+          if (lastSyncAt == null) {
+            await _chatPersistenceClient?.updateLastSyncAt(DateTime.now());
+          }
+        }
       }
       handleEvent(Event(
         type: EventType.connectionRecovered,
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/client/client_test.dart b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/client/client_test.dart
index bc6ff843..7a605557 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/client/client_test.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/client/client_test.dart
@@ -516,6 +516,9 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     setUp(() async {
+      when(() => persistence.updateLastSyncAt(any()))
+          .thenAnswer((_) => Future.value());
+      when(persistence.getLastSyncAt).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
       client = StreamChatClient(apiKey, chatApi: api, ws: ws)
         ..chatPersistenceClient = persistence;
       await client.connectUser(user, token);
@@ -532,9 +535,12 @@ void main() {
       test(
         '''should update persistence connectionInfo and lastSync when sync succeeds''',
         () async {
+          // persistence.updateLastSyncAt might be called
+          // when connecting the user.
+          // Resetting the logs so we start counting invocations correctly.
+          reset(persistence);
           const cids = ['test-cid-1', 'test-cid-2', 'test-cid-3'];
           final lastSyncAt = DateTime.now();
-
           when(() => api.general.sync(cids, lastSyncAt))
               .thenAnswer((_) async => SyncResponse()
                 ..events = [
@@ -567,6 +573,10 @@ void main() {
       test(
         'should work fine if persistence contains sync params',
         () async {
+          // persistence.updateLastSyncAt might be called
+          // when connecting the user.
+          // Resetting the logs so we start counting invocations correctly.
+          reset(persistence);
           const cids = ['test-cid-1', 'test-cid-2', 'test-cid-3'];
           final lastSyncAt = DateTime.now();