diff --git a/syncapi/streams/stream_presence.go b/syncapi/streams/stream_presence.go
index 877bcf141..15db4d30e 100644
--- a/syncapi/streams/stream_presence.go
+++ b/syncapi/streams/stream_presence.go
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
+	"github.com/tidwall/gjson"
+
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/notifier"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/types"
-	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
 )
 
 type PresenceStreamProvider struct {
@@ -175,6 +177,10 @@ func membershipEventPresent(events []gomatrixserverlib.ClientEvent, userID strin
 		// it's enough to know that we have our member event here, don't need to check membership content
 		// as it's implied by being in the respective section of the sync response.
 		if ev.Type == gomatrixserverlib.MRoomMember && ev.StateKey != nil && *ev.StateKey == userID {
+			// ignore e.g. join -> join changes
+			if gjson.GetBytes(ev.Unsigned, "prev_content.membership").Str == gjson.GetBytes(ev.Content, "membership").Str {
+				continue
+			}
 			return true
 		}
 	}