diff --git a/discord/client.py b/discord/client.py
index fa096c984..b9ca6c0ee 100644
--- a/discord/client.py
+++ b/discord/client.py
@@ -81,10 +81,6 @@ class Client:
         Indicates if :meth:`login` should cache the authentication tokens. Defaults
         to ``True``. The method in which the cache is written is done by writing to
         disk to a temporary directory.
-    request_offline : Optional[bool]
-        Indicates if the client should request the offline members of every server.
-        If this is False, then member lists will not store offline members if the
-        number of members in the server is greater than 250. Defaults to ``True``.
 
     Attributes
     -----------
@@ -121,7 +117,6 @@ class Client:
         self.loop = asyncio.get_event_loop() if loop is None else loop
         self._listeners = []
         self.cache_auth = options.get('cache_auth', True)
-        self.request_offline = options.get('request_offline', True)
 
         max_messages = options.get('max_messages')
         if max_messages is None or max_messages < 100:
@@ -396,10 +391,7 @@ class Client:
             func(data)
 
         if is_ready:
-            if self.request_offline:
-                utils.create_task(self._fill_offline(), loop=self.loop)
-            else:
-                self.dispatch('ready')
+            utils.create_task(self._fill_offline(), loop=self.loop)
 
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def _make_websocket(self, initial=True):
@@ -1258,9 +1250,8 @@ class Client:
         """|coro|
 
         Requests previously offline members from the server to be filled up
-        into the :attr:`Server.members` cache. If the client was initialised
-        with ``request_offline`` as ``True`` then calling this function would
-        not do anything.
+        into the :attr:`Server.members` cache. This function is usually not
+        called.
 
         When the client logs on and connects to the websocket, Discord does
         not provide the library with offline members if the number of members
diff --git a/discord/server.py b/discord/server.py
index 07ccbbdb0..dfad0761e 100644
--- a/discord/server.py
+++ b/discord/server.py
@@ -138,7 +138,11 @@ class Server(Hashable):
 
     def _from_data(self, guild):
         # according to Stan, this is always available even if the guild is unavailable
-        self._member_count = guild['member_count']
+        # I don't have this guarantee when someone updates the server.
+        member_count = guild.get('member_count', None)
+        if member_count:
+            self._member_count = member_count
+
         self.name = guild.get('name')
         self.large = guild.get('large', self._member_count > 250)
         self.region = guild.get('region')
diff --git a/discord/state.py b/discord/state.py
index bcb90e728..f016cb2d7 100644
--- a/discord/state.py
+++ b/discord/state.py
@@ -175,10 +175,7 @@ class ConnectionState:
         member_id = user['id']
         member = server.get_member(member_id)
         if member is None:
-            # if the member is not in cache then it's being "lazily"
-            # loaded due to large_threshold so we need to add it into
-            # the cache and then update that instead.
-            member = self._add_member(server, data)
+            member = self._make_member(server, data)
 
         old_member = copy.copy(member)
         member.status = data.get('status')
@@ -232,7 +229,7 @@ class ConnectionState:
 
         self.dispatch('channel_create', channel)
 
-    def _add_member(self, server, data):
+    def _make_member(self, server, data):
         roles = [server.default_role]
         for roleid in data.get('roles', []):
             role = utils.get(server.roles, id=roleid)
@@ -240,13 +237,12 @@ class ConnectionState:
                 roles.append(role)
 
         data['roles'] = roles
-        member = Member(server=server, **data)
-        server._add_member(member)
-        return member
+        return Member(server=server, **data)
 
     def parse_guild_member_add(self, data):
         server = self._get_server(data.get('guild_id'))
-        member = self._add_member(server, data)
+        member = self._make_member(server, data)
+        server._add_member(member)
         server._member_count += 1
         self.dispatch('member_join', member)
 
@@ -382,7 +378,8 @@ class ConnectionState:
         server = self._get_server(data.get('guild_id'))
         members = data.get('members', [])
         for member in members:
-            self._add_member(server, member)
+            m = self._make_member(server, member)
+            server._add_member(m)
 
         # if the owner is offline, server.owner is potentially None
         # therefore we should check if this chunk makes it point to a valid
diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index a71408959..111a1ee11 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ to handle it, which defaults to print a traceback and ignore the exception.
     Called when the client is done preparing the data received from Discord. Usually after login is successful
     and the :attr:`Client.servers` and co. are filled up.
 
+    .. warning::
+
+        This function is not guaranteed to be the first event called.
+
 .. function:: on_error(event, \*args, \*\*kwargs)
 
     Usually when an event raises an uncaught exception, a traceback is