diff --git a/dendrite-config.yaml b/dendrite-config.yaml
index b4281806d..bc9220904 100644
--- a/dendrite-config.yaml
+++ b/dendrite-config.yaml
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ global:
   server_notices:
     enabled: false
     # The server localpart to be used when sending notices, ensure this is not yet taken
-    local_part: "server"
+    local_part: "_server"
     # The displayname to be used when sending notices
     display_name: "Server alerts"
     # The mxid of the avatar to use
diff --git a/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_leave.go b/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_leave.go
index 9f110d275..9fbd4a4ce 100644
--- a/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_leave.go
+++ b/roomserver/internal/perform/perform_leave.go
@@ -98,18 +98,19 @@ func (r *Leaver) performLeaveRoomByID(
 		}, accData); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to query account data")
 		}
-		roomData := accData.RoomAccountData[req.RoomID]
-		tagData, ok := roomData["m.tag"]
-		if ok {
-			tags := gomatrix.TagContent{}
-			if err = json.Unmarshal(tagData, &tags); err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to unmarshal tag content")
-			}
-			if _, ok = tags.Tags["m.server_notice"]; ok {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to reject server notice invite")
+
+		if roomData, ok := accData.RoomAccountData[req.RoomID]; ok {
+			tagData, ok := roomData["m.tag"]
+			if ok {
+				tags := gomatrix.TagContent{}
+				if err = json.Unmarshal(tagData, &tags); err != nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to unmarshal tag content")
+				}
+				if _, ok = tags.Tags["m.server_notice"]; ok {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to reject server notice invite")
+				}
 			}
 		}
-
 	}
 
 	// There's no invite pending, so first of all we want to find out
diff --git a/setup/config/config_global.go b/setup/config/config_global.go
index b242c93eb..1440eba02 100644
--- a/setup/config/config_global.go
+++ b/setup/config/config_global.go
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ type ServerNotices struct {
 
 func (c *ServerNotices) Defaults(generate bool) {
 	if generate {
-		c.LocalPart = "server"
+		c.LocalPart = "_server"
 		c.DisplayName = "Server Alert"
 		c.RoomName = "Server Alert"
 		c.AvatarURL = ""
diff --git a/setup/config/config_test.go b/setup/config/config_test.go
index 8a012a7f0..b17837c7f 100644
--- a/setup/config/config_test.go
+++ b/setup/config/config_test.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ global:
       username: metrics
       password: metrics
   server_notices:
-    local_part: "server"
+    local_part: "_server"
     display_name: "Server alerts"
     avatar: ""
     room_name: "Server Alerts"