diff --git a/syncapi/storage/postgres/current_room_state_table.go b/syncapi/storage/postgres/current_room_state_table.go
index ce4509ff4..c232f265d 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/postgres/current_room_state_table.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/postgres/current_room_state_table.go
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ const selectCurrentStateSQL = "" +
 	" AND ( $4::text[] IS NULL OR     type LIKE ANY($4)  )" +
 	" AND ( $5::text[] IS NULL OR NOT(type LIKE ANY($5)) )" +
 	" AND ( $6::bool IS NULL   OR     contains_url = $6  )" +
-	" AND NOT (event_id = ANY($7))" +
+	" AND event_id != ANY($7)" +
 	" LIMIT $8"
 
 const selectJoinedUsersSQL = "" +
diff --git a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
index 87fab10d8..30cf44f0d 100644
--- a/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
+++ b/syncapi/streams/stream_pdu.go
@@ -225,8 +225,10 @@ func (p *PDUStreamProvider) getJoinResponseForCompleteSync(
 
 	// Get the event IDs of the stream events we fetched. There's no point in us
 	excludingEventIDs := make([]string, 0, len(recentStreamEvents))
-	for _, eventID := range recentStreamEvents {
-		excludingEventIDs = append(excludingEventIDs, eventID.EventID())
+	for _, event := range recentStreamEvents {
+		if event.StateKey() != nil {
+			excludingEventIDs = append(excludingEventIDs, event.EventID())
+		}
 	}
 
 	stateEvents, err := p.DB.CurrentState(ctx, roomID, stateFilter, excludingEventIDs)