diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
index 9241313a5..2ed7b52fd 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func createRoom(req *http.Request, device *authtypes.Device,
 
 	var joinRules, historyVisibility string
 	switch r.Preset {
-	case presetPrivateChat, "":
+	case presetPrivateChat:
 		joinRules = joinRuleInvite
 		historyVisibility = historyVisibilityShared
 	case presetTrustedPrivateChat:
@@ -179,6 +179,11 @@ func createRoom(req *http.Request, device *authtypes.Device,
 	case presetPublicChat:
 		joinRules = joinRulePublic
 		historyVisibility = historyVisibilityShared
+	default:
+		// Default room rules, r.Preset was previously checked for valid values so
+		// only a request with no preset should end up here.
+		joinRules = joinRuleInvite
+		historyVisibility = historyVisibilityShared
 	}
 
 	var builtEvents []gomatrixserverlib.Event