diff --git a/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_upgrade.go b/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_upgrade.go
index f635d32ad..644f7fda3 100644
--- a/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_upgrade.go
+++ b/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_upgrade.go
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ func (r *Upgrader) generateInitialEvents(ctx context.Context, oldRoom *api.Query
 			continue
 		}
 		if event.Type() == spec.MRoomMember && !event.StateKeyEquals(userID) {
-			// With the exception of bans and invites which we do want to copy, we
+			// With the exception of bans which we do want to copy, we
 			// should ignore membership events that aren't our own, as event auth will
 			// prevent us from being able to create membership events on behalf of other
 			// users anyway unless they are invites or bans.
@@ -365,13 +365,13 @@ func (r *Upgrader) generateInitialEvents(ctx context.Context, oldRoom *api.Query
 			}
 			switch membership {
 			case spec.Ban:
-			case spec.Invite:
 			default:
 				continue
 			}
 		}
 		// skip events that rely on a specific user being present
-		if event.Type() != spec.MRoomMember && !event.StateKeyEquals("") {
+		sKey := *event.StateKey()
+		if event.Type() != spec.MRoomMember && len(sKey) > 0 && sKey[:1] == "@" {
 			continue
 		}
 		state[gomatrixserverlib.StateKeyTuple{EventType: event.Type(), StateKey: *event.StateKey()}] = event
diff --git a/roomserver/roomserver_test.go b/roomserver/roomserver_test.go
index 85cee8a4b..d1a74d3c3 100644
--- a/roomserver/roomserver_test.go
+++ b/roomserver/roomserver_test.go
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ func TestUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 	charlie := test.NewUser(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
+	spaceChild := test.NewRoom(t, alice)
 	validateTuples := []gomatrixserverlib.StateKeyTuple{
 		{EventType: spec.MRoomCreate},
 		{EventType: spec.MRoomPowerLevels},
@@ -772,8 +773,8 @@ func TestUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 		{EventType: spec.MRoomCanonicalAlias},
 		{EventType: "m.room.tombstone"},
 		{EventType: "m.custom.event"},
+		{EventType: "m.space.child", StateKey: spaceChild.ID},
 		{EventType: "m.custom.event", StateKey: alice.ID},
-		{EventType: spec.MRoomMember, StateKey: bob.ID},     // invite should be transferred
 		{EventType: spec.MRoomMember, StateKey: charlie.ID}, // ban should be transferred
 	}
 
@@ -984,13 +985,10 @@ func TestUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			name:        "invites/bans are transferred",
+			name:        "bans are transferred",
 			upgradeUser: alice.ID,
 			roomFunc: func(rsAPI api.RoomserverInternalAPI) string {
 				r := test.NewRoom(t, alice)
-				r.CreateAndInsert(t, alice, spec.MRoomMember, map[string]interface{}{
-					"membership": spec.Invite,
-				}, test.WithStateKey(bob.ID))
 				r.CreateAndInsert(t, alice, spec.MRoomMember, map[string]interface{}{
 					"membership": spec.Ban,
 				}, test.WithStateKey(charlie.ID))
@@ -1002,6 +1000,21 @@ func TestUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 			wantNewRoom:  true,
 			validateFunc: validate,
 		},
+		{
+			name:        "space childs are transferred",
+			upgradeUser: alice.ID,
+			roomFunc: func(rsAPI api.RoomserverInternalAPI) string {
+				r := test.NewRoom(t, alice)
+
+				r.CreateAndInsert(t, alice, "m.space.child", map[string]interface{}{}, test.WithStateKey(spaceChild.ID))
+				if err := api.SendEvents(ctx, rsAPI, api.KindNew, r.Events(), "test", "test", "test", nil, false); err != nil {
+					t.Errorf("failed to send events: %v", err)
+				}
+				return r.ID
+			},
+			wantNewRoom:  true,
+			validateFunc: validate,
+		},
 		{
 			name:        "custom state is not taken to the new room", // https://github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/issues/2912
 			upgradeUser: charlie.ID,