diff --git a/federationapi/routing/send.go b/federationapi/routing/send.go
index 9def7c3c3..e3f84b697 100644
--- a/federationapi/routing/send.go
+++ b/federationapi/routing/send.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package routing
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ func (t *txnReq) processEvent(ctx context.Context, e gomatrixserverlib.Event, is
 	}
 
 	// pass the event to the roomserver
-	return api.SendEvents(
+	err := api.SendEvents(
 		context.Background(),
 		t.rsAPI,
 		[]gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent{
@@ -387,6 +388,12 @@ func (t *txnReq) processEvent(ctx context.Context, e gomatrixserverlib.Event, is
 		api.DoNotSendToOtherServers,
 		nil,
 	)
+	var notAllowed *gomatrixserverlib.NotAllowed
+	if errors.As(err, &notAllowed) {
+		// the event was rejected, silently ignore.
+		err = nil
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 func checkAllowedByState(e gomatrixserverlib.Event, stateEvents []gomatrixserverlib.Event) error {
diff --git a/roomserver/internal/input/input_events.go b/roomserver/internal/input/input_events.go
index 1e88e95a7..7ffef1c06 100644
--- a/roomserver/internal/input/input_events.go
+++ b/roomserver/internal/input/input_events.go
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ func (r *Inputer) processRoomEvent(
 	// Check that the event passes authentication checks and work out
 	// the numeric IDs for the auth events.
 	isRejected := false
-	authEventNIDs, err := helpers.CheckAuthEvents(ctx, r.DB, headered, input.AuthEventIDs)
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.WithError(err).WithField("event_id", event.EventID()).WithField("auth_event_ids", input.AuthEventIDs).Error("processRoomEvent.checkAuthEvents failed for event, rejecting event")
+	authEventNIDs, rejectionErr := helpers.CheckAuthEvents(ctx, r.DB, headered, input.AuthEventIDs)
+	if rejectionErr != nil {
+		logrus.WithError(rejectionErr).WithField("event_id", event.EventID()).WithField("auth_event_ids", input.AuthEventIDs).Error("processRoomEvent.checkAuthEvents failed for event, rejecting event")
 		isRejected = true
 	}
 
@@ -72,7 +72,12 @@ func (r *Inputer) processRoomEvent(
 	}
 	// We stop here if the event is rejected: We've stored it but won't update forward extremities or notify anyone about it.
 	if isRejected {
-		return event.EventID(), nil
+		logrus.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+			"event_id": event.EventID(),
+			"type":     event.Type(),
+			"room":     event.RoomID(),
+		}).Debug("Stored rejected event")
+		return event.EventID(), rejectionErr
 	}
 	// if storing this event results in it being redacted then do so.
 	if redactedEventID == event.EventID() {