diff --git a/syncapi/routing/messages.go b/syncapi/routing/messages.go
index 1dd33dd62..9c6c6a80d 100644
--- a/syncapi/routing/messages.go
+++ b/syncapi/routing/messages.go
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ func (r *messagesReq) retrieveEvents() (
 	return clientEvents, start, end, err
 }
 
+// nolint:gocyclo
 func (r *messagesReq) filterHistoryVisible(events []gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent) []gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent {
 	// TODO FIXME: We don't fully implement history visibility yet. To avoid leaking events which the
 	// user shouldn't see, we check the recent events and remove any prior to the join event of the user
@@ -305,10 +306,6 @@ func (r *messagesReq) filterHistoryVisible(events []gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEv
 			wasJoined = false
 			break
 		}
-		if len(queryRes.StateEvents) == 0 {
-			wasJoined = false
-			break
-		}
 		var hisVisEvent, membershipEvent *gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
 		for i := range queryRes.StateEvents {
 			switch queryRes.StateEvents[i].Type() {