diff --git a/packages/recs/src/Component.ts b/packages/recs/src/Component.ts
index dc4be8750c..58a56e8047 100644
--- a/packages/recs/src/Component.ts
+++ b/packages/recs/src/Component.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ import {
 import { isFullComponentValue, isIndexer } from "./utils";
 import { getEntityString, getEntitySymbol } from "./Entity";
 
+export type ComponentMutationOptions = {
+  /** Skip publishing this mutation to the component's update stream. Mostly used internally during initial hydration. */
+  skipUpdateStream?: boolean;
+};
+
 function getComponentName(component: Component<any, any, any>) {
   return (
     component.metadata?.componentName ??
@@ -80,7 +85,8 @@ export function defineComponent<S extends Schema, M extends Metadata, T = unknow
 export function setComponent<S extends Schema, T = unknown>(
   component: Component<S, Metadata, T>,
   entity: Entity,
-  value: ComponentValue<S, T>
+  value: ComponentValue<S, T>,
+  options: ComponentMutationOptions = {}
 ) {
   const entitySymbol = getEntitySymbol(entity);
   const prevValue = getComponentValue(component, entity);
@@ -109,7 +115,9 @@ export function setComponent<S extends Schema, T = unknown>(
       }
     }
   }
-  component.update$.next({ entity, value: [value, prevValue], component });
+  if (!options.skipUpdateStream) {
+    component.update$.next({ entity, value: [value, prevValue], component });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -132,16 +140,17 @@ export function updateComponent<S extends Schema, T = unknown>(
   component: Component<S, Metadata, T>,
   entity: Entity,
   value: Partial<ComponentValue<S, T>>,
-  initialValue?: ComponentValue<S, T>
+  initialValue?: ComponentValue<S, T>,
+  options: ComponentMutationOptions = {}
 ) {
   const currentValue = getComponentValue(component, entity);
   if (currentValue === undefined) {
     if (initialValue === undefined) {
       throw new Error(`Can't update component ${getComponentName(component)} without a current value or initial value`);
     }
-    setComponent(component, entity, { ...initialValue, ...value });
+    setComponent(component, entity, { ...initialValue, ...value }, options);
   } else {
-    setComponent(component, entity, { ...currentValue, ...value });
+    setComponent(component, entity, { ...currentValue, ...value }, options);
   }
 }
 
@@ -153,14 +162,17 @@ export function updateComponent<S extends Schema, T = unknown>(
  */
 export function removeComponent<S extends Schema, M extends Metadata, T = unknown>(
   component: Component<S, M, T>,
-  entity: Entity
+  entity: Entity,
+  options: ComponentMutationOptions = {}
 ) {
   const entitySymbol = getEntitySymbol(entity);
   const prevValue = getComponentValue(component, entity);
   for (const key of Object.keys(component.values)) {
     component.values[key].delete(entitySymbol);
   }
-  component.update$.next({ entity, value: [undefined, prevValue], component });
+  if (!options.skipUpdateStream) {
+    component.update$.next({ entity, value: [undefined, prevValue], component });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/store-sync/src/recs/recsStorage.ts b/packages/store-sync/src/recs/recsStorage.ts
index 9debe2652f..d8fab3446e 100644
--- a/packages/store-sync/src/recs/recsStorage.ts
+++ b/packages/store-sync/src/recs/recsStorage.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import worldConfig from "@latticexyz/world/mud.config";
 export type RecsStorageOptions<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig> = {
   world: RecsWorld;
   config: TConfig;
+  shouldSkipUpdateStream?: () => boolean;
 };
 
 export type RecsStorageAdapter<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig> = {
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ export type RecsStorageAdapter<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig> = {
 export function recsStorage<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig>({
   world,
   config,
+  shouldSkipUpdateStream,
 }: RecsStorageOptions<TConfig>): RecsStorageAdapter<TConfig> {
   world.registerEntity({ id: singletonEntity });
 
@@ -52,7 +54,12 @@ export function recsStorage<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig>({
     async registerTables({ tables }) {
       for (const table of tables) {
         // TODO: check if table exists already and skip/warn?
-        setComponent(components.RegisteredTables, getTableEntity(table), { table });
+        setComponent(
+          components.RegisteredTables,
+          getTableEntity(table),
+          { table },
+          { skipUpdateStream: shouldSkipUpdateStream?.() }
+        );
       }
     },
     async getTables({ tables }) {
@@ -87,7 +94,9 @@ export function recsStorage<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig>({
 
         if (operation.type === "SetRecord") {
           debug("setting component", tableId, entity, operation.value);
-          setComponent(component, entity, operation.value as ComponentValue);
+          setComponent(component, entity, operation.value as ComponentValue, {
+            skipUpdateStream: shouldSkipUpdateStream?.(),
+          });
         } else if (operation.type === "SetField") {
           debug("updating component", tableId, entity, {
             [operation.fieldName]: operation.fieldValue,
@@ -96,11 +105,12 @@ export function recsStorage<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig>({
             component,
             entity,
             { [operation.fieldName]: operation.fieldValue } as ComponentValue,
-            schemaToDefaults(table.valueSchema) as ComponentValue
+            schemaToDefaults(table.valueSchema) as ComponentValue,
+            { skipUpdateStream: shouldSkipUpdateStream?.() }
           );
         } else if (operation.type === "DeleteRecord") {
           debug("deleting component", tableId, entity);
-          removeComponent(component, entity);
+          removeComponent(component, entity, { skipUpdateStream: shouldSkipUpdateStream?.() });
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/packages/store-sync/src/recs/syncToRecs.ts b/packages/store-sync/src/recs/syncToRecs.ts
index 8321102b4c..ceb9735a58 100644
--- a/packages/store-sync/src/recs/syncToRecs.ts
+++ b/packages/store-sync/src/recs/syncToRecs.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,12 @@ export async function syncToRecs<TConfig extends StoreConfig = StoreConfig>({
   tableIds,
   matchId,
 }: SyncToRecsOptions<TConfig>): Promise<SyncToRecsResult<TConfig>> {
-  const { storageAdapter, components } = recsStorage({ world, config });
+  const { storageAdapter, components } = recsStorage({
+    world,
+    config,
+    shouldSkipUpdateStream: (): boolean =>
+      getComponentValue(components.SyncProgress, singletonEntity)?.step !== SyncStep.LIVE,
+  });
 
   const storeSync = await createStoreSync({
     storageAdapter,