diff --git a/docs/usage/client.md b/docs/usage/client.md
index 58a0200..19839bf 100644
--- a/docs/usage/client.md
+++ b/docs/usage/client.md
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@ async def client():
     ydoc = Y.YDoc()
     async with (
         connect("ws://localhost:1234/my-roomname") as websocket,
-        WebsocketProvider(ydoc, websocket),
+        WebsocketProvider(ydoc, websocket) as provider,
     ):
+        ymap = ydoc.get_map("map")
+
+        # Wait until we've received the initial state from the server.
+        await provider.synced.wait()
+        print(ymap.to_json())
+
         # Changes to remote ydoc are applied to local ydoc.
         # Changes to local ydoc are sent over the WebSocket and
         # broadcast to all clients.
-        ymap = ydoc.get_map("map")
         with ydoc.begin_transaction() as t:
             ymap.set(t, "key", "value")
 
diff --git a/ypy_websocket/websocket_provider.py b/ypy_websocket/websocket_provider.py
index d3454d8..b9f2bfe 100644
--- a/ypy_websocket/websocket_provider.py
+++ b/ypy_websocket/websocket_provider.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from .websocket import Websocket
 from .yutils import (
     YMessageType,
+    YSyncMessageType,
     create_update_message,
     process_sync_message,
     put_updates,
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ class WebsocketProvider:
     _update_send_stream: MemoryObjectSendStream
     _update_receive_stream: MemoryObjectReceiveStream
     _started: Event | None
+    _synced: Event | None
     _starting: bool
     _task_group: TaskGroup | None
 
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ def __init__(self, ydoc: Y.YDoc, websocket: Websocket, log: Logger | None = None
         )
         self._started = None
         self._starting = False
+        self._synced = None
         self._task_group = None
         ydoc.observe_after_transaction(partial(put_updates, self._update_send_stream))
 
@@ -73,6 +76,13 @@ def started(self) -> Event:
             self._started = Event()
         return self._started
 
+    @property
+    def synced(self) -> Event:
+        """An async event that is set when the WebSocket provider next syncs with the server."""
+        if self._synced is None:
+            self._synced = Event()
+        return self._synced
+
     async def __aenter__(self) -> WebsocketProvider:
         if self._task_group is not None:
             raise RuntimeError("WebsocketProvider already running")
@@ -100,6 +110,9 @@ async def _run(self):
         async for message in self._websocket:
             if message[0] == YMessageType.SYNC:
                 await process_sync_message(message[1:], self._ydoc, self._websocket, self.log)
+                if message[1] == YSyncMessageType.SYNC_STEP2 and self._synced is not None:
+                    self._synced.set()
+                    self._synced = None
 
     async def _send(self):
         async with self._update_receive_stream: