diff --git a/demos/linearlite/src/pglite-worker.ts b/demos/linearlite/src/pglite-worker.ts
index 06b238ed..ce0b35a3 100644
--- a/demos/linearlite/src/pglite-worker.ts
+++ b/demos/linearlite/src/pglite-worker.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { worker } from '@electric-sql/pglite/worker'
 import { PGlite, Mutex } from '@electric-sql/pglite'
 import { live, type PGliteWithLive } from '@electric-sql/pglite/live'
-import { electricSync } from '@electric-sql/pglite-sync'
+import { electricSync, type PGliteWithSync } from '@electric-sql/pglite-sync'
 import { migrate } from './migrations'
 import type { IssueChange, CommentChange, ChangeSet } from './utils/changes'
 
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ const WRITE_SERVER_URL = import.meta.env.VITE_WRITE_SERVER_URL
 const ELECTRIC_URL = import.meta.env.VITE_ELECTRIC_URL
 const APPLY_CHANGES_URL = `${WRITE_SERVER_URL}/apply-changes`
 
+type PGliteWithExtensions = PGliteWithLive & PGliteWithSync
+
 worker({
   async init() {
     const pg = await PGlite.create({
@@ -20,33 +22,118 @@ worker({
         live,
       },
     })
+
+    // Migrate the database to the latest schema
     await migrate(pg)
-    await pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
-      shape: {
-        url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
-        table: 'issue',
-      },
-      table: 'issue',
-      primaryKey: ['id'],
-      shapeKey: 'issues',
-    })
-    await pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
-      shape: {
-        url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
-        table: 'comment',
-      },
-      table: 'comment',
-      primaryKey: ['id'],
-      shapeKey: 'comments',
-    })
+
+    // This waits for the last weeks data to sync to the database
+    await startSyncToDatabase(pg)
+
     startWritePath(pg)
+
     return pg
   },
 })
 
+const INITIAL_SYNC_DAYS = 7
+// We can set this to a specific date to sync from, or leave it blank to sync from 30 days ago
+// this is used for the demo to sync from a specific date based on what we have in the demo data
+const INITIAL_SYNC_FROM_DATE = import.meta.env.VITE_INITIAL_SYNC_FROM_DATE ?? '2024-11-28T00:00:00.000Z'
+
+async function initialSyncToDatabase(pg: PGliteWithExtensions) {
+  // We are going to first sync just the last weeks data.
+  // To make this cache efficient lets sync to the previous Monday that is at least
+  // 7 days prior to today.
+  const today = new Date()
+  const syncFrom = new Date(INITIAL_SYNC_FROM_DATE ?? today)
+  if (!INITIAL_SYNC_FROM_DATE) {
+    syncFrom.setDate(
+      today.getDate() - (INITIAL_SYNC_DAYS + ((today.getDay() + 6) % 7))
+    )
+  }
+
+  console.log('syncing from', syncFrom.toISOString())
+
+  const issuesSync = await pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
+    shape: {
+      url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
+      table: 'issue',
+      where: `created >= '${syncFrom.toISOString()}'`,
+    },
+    table: 'issue',
+    primaryKey: ['id'],
+  })
+  const issueSyncUpToDate = new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    issuesSync.subscribe(() => {
+      // Subscribe will be called when the sync is up to date
+      // at which point we can unsubscribe and resolve the promise
+      console.log('issue sync up to date')
+      issuesSync.unsubscribe()
+      resolve()
+    }, reject)
+  })
+  const commentsSync = await pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
+    shape: {
+      url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
+      table: 'comment',
+      where: `created >= '${syncFrom.toISOString()}'`,
+    },
+    table: 'comment',
+    primaryKey: ['id'],
+  })
+  const commentSyncUpToDate = new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    commentsSync.subscribe(() => {
+      // Subscribe will be called when the sync is up to date
+      // at which point we can unsubscribe and resolve the promise
+      console.log('comment sync up to date')
+      commentsSync.unsubscribe()
+      resolve()
+    }, reject)
+  })
+  // Wait for both syncs to complete
+  await Promise.all([issueSyncUpToDate, commentSyncUpToDate])
+}
+
+async function startSyncToDatabase(pg: PGliteWithExtensions) {
+  // First sync the last weeks data if the database is empty
+  const issueCount = await pg.query<{ count: number }>(`
+    SELECT count(id) as count FROM issue
+  `)
+  if (issueCount.rows[0].count === 0) {
+    console.log('initial sync to database')
+    await initialSyncToDatabase(pg)
+    console.log('initial sync to database complete')
+  }
+
+  // Finally start the full sync
+  const throttle = 100 // used during initial sync to prevent too many renders
+  pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
+    shape: {
+      url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
+      table: 'issue',
+    },
+    table: 'issue',
+    primaryKey: ['id'],
+    shapeKey: 'issues',
+    commitGranularity: 'transaction',
+    commitThrottle: throttle,
+  })
+  pg.sync.syncShapeToTable({
+    shape: {
+      url: `${ELECTRIC_URL}/v1/shape`,
+      table: 'comment',
+    },
+    table: 'comment',
+    primaryKey: ['id'],
+    shapeKey: 'comments',
+    commitGranularity: 'transaction',
+    commitThrottle: throttle,
+  })
+}
+
 const syncMutex = new Mutex()
 
-async function startWritePath(pg: PGliteWithLive) {
+async function startWritePath(pg: PGliteWithExtensions) {
   // Use a live query to watch for changes to the local tables that need to be synced
   pg.live.query<{
     issue_count: number
@@ -73,7 +160,7 @@ async function startWritePath(pg: PGliteWithLive) {
 }
 
 // Call wrapped in mutex to prevent multiple syncs from happening at the same time
-async function doSyncToServer(pg: PGliteWithLive) {
+async function doSyncToServer(pg: PGliteWithExtensions) {
   let issueChanges: IssueChange[]
   let commentChanges: CommentChange[]
   await pg.transaction(async (tx) => {