diff --git a/api/client-server/list_public_rooms.yaml b/api/client-server/list_public_rooms.yaml
index 6d25a1ac2..334d528c3 100644
--- a/api/client-server/list_public_rooms.yaml
+++ b/api/client-server/list_public_rooms.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 swagger: '2.0'
 info:
-  title: "Matrix Client-Server Room Creation API"
+  title: "Matrix Client-Server Room Directory API"
   version: "1.0.0"
 host: localhost:8008
 schemes:
@@ -25,6 +25,88 @@ consumes:
 produces:
   - application/json
 paths:
+  "/directory/list/room/{roomId}":
+    get:
+      summary: Gets the visibility of a room in the directory
+      description: |-
+        Gets the visibility of a given room on the server's public room directory.
+      operationId: getRoomVisibilityOnDirectory
+      parameters:
+        - in: path
+          type: string
+          name: roomId
+          description: The room ID.
+          required: true
+          x-example: "!curbf:matrix.org"
+      responses:
+        200:
+          description: The visibility of the room in the directory
+          schema:
+            type: object
+            properties:
+              visibility:
+                type: string
+                enum: ['private', 'public']
+                description: The visibility of the room in the directory.
+          examples: 
+            application/json: {
+              "visibility": "public"
+            }
+        404:
+          description: The room is not known to the server
+          examples:
+            application/json: {
+              "errcode": "M_NOT_FOUND",
+              "error": "Room not found"
+            }
+    put:
+      summary: Sets the visibility of a room in the room directory
+      description: |-
+        Sets the visibility of a given room in the server's public room
+        directory.
+
+        Servers may choose to implement additional access control checks
+        here, for instance that room visibility can only be changed by 
+        the room creator or a server administrator.
+      operationId: setRoomVisibilityOnDirectory
+      security:
+        - accessToken: []
+      parameters:
+        - in: path
+          type: string
+          name: roomId
+          description: The room ID.
+          required: true
+          x-example: "!curbf:matrix.org"
+        - in: body
+          name: body
+          required: true
+          description: |-
+            The new visibility for the room on the room directory.
+          schema:
+            type: object
+            properties:
+              visibility:
+                type: string
+                enum: ["private", "public"]
+                description: |-
+                  The new visibility setting for the room. 
+                  Defaults to 'public'.
+            example: {
+               "visibility": "public"
+            }
+      responses:
+        200:
+          description: The visibility was updated, or no change was needed.
+          examples: 
+            application/json: {}
+        404:
+          description: The room is not known to the server
+          examples:
+            application/json: {
+              "errcode": "M_NOT_FOUND",
+              "error": "Room not found"
+            }
   "/publicRooms":
     get:
       summary: Lists the public rooms on the server.
diff --git a/changelogs/client_server.rst b/changelogs/client_server.rst
index 2dcda7111..23898e0fc 100644
--- a/changelogs/client_server.rst
+++ b/changelogs/client_server.rst
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ Unreleased changes
 
   - Add 'token' parameter to /keys/query endpoint
     (`#1104 <https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/1104>`_).
+  - Add the room visibility options for the room directory
+    (`#1141 <https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/1141>`_).
   - Add spec for ignoring users
     (`#1142 <https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/1142>`_).
 
diff --git a/event-schemas/examples/m.presence b/event-schemas/examples/m.presence
index bdc0baea1..824ffcb71 100644
--- a/event-schemas/examples/m.presence
+++ b/event-schemas/examples/m.presence
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "avatar_url": "mxc://localhost:wefuiwegh8742w",
     "last_active_ago": 2478593,
     "presence": "online",
-    "currently_active": false,
+    "currently_active": false
   },
   "sender": "@example:localhost",
   "type": "m.presence"
diff --git a/scripts/generate-matrix-org-assets b/scripts/generate-matrix-org-assets
index 2f8acc5d2..cb3cf4552 100755
--- a/scripts/generate-matrix-org-assets
+++ b/scripts/generate-matrix-org-assets
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #
 # generate a tarball of assets suitable for the matrix.org site
 
+set -e
+
 cd `dirname $0`/..
 
 mkdir -p assets
diff --git a/scripts/templating/matrix_templates/units.py b/scripts/templating/matrix_templates/units.py
index 1540a7fd5..d8cfe1e34 100644
--- a/scripts/templating/matrix_templates/units.py
+++ b/scripts/templating/matrix_templates/units.py
@@ -694,15 +694,25 @@ class MatrixUnits(Units):
         for filename in os.listdir(path):
             if not filename.startswith("m."):
                 continue
-            with open(os.path.join(path, filename), "r") as f:
-                event_name = filename.split("#")[0]
-                example = json.loads(f.read())
-
-                examples[filename] = examples.get(filename, [])
-                examples[filename].append(example)
-                if filename != event_name:
-                    examples[event_name] = examples.get(event_name, [])
-                    examples[event_name].append(example)
+
+            event_name = filename.split("#")[0]
+            filepath = os.path.join(path, filename)
+            logger.info("Reading event example: %s" % filepath)
+            try:
+                with open(filepath, "r") as f:
+                    example = json.load(f)
+                    examples[filename] = examples.get(filename, [])
+                    examples[filename].append(example)
+                    if filename != event_name:
+                        examples[event_name] = examples.get(event_name, [])
+                        examples[event_name].append(example)
+            except Exception, e:
+                e2 = Exception("Error reading event example "+filepath+": "+
+                               str(e))
+                # throw the new exception with the old stack trace, so that
+                # we don't lose information about where the error occurred.
+                raise e2, None, sys.exc_info()[2]
+
         return examples
 
     def load_event_schemas(self):