diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/state_accessor.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/state_accessor.rs
index ffdd8acc..ec6956ce 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/state_accessor.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/state_accessor.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use ruma::{
     events::{room::member::MembershipState, StateEventType},
     EventId, RoomId, UserId,
 };
+use serde_json::Value;
 
 #[async_trait]
 impl service::rooms::state_accessor::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ impl service::rooms::state_accessor::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
         shortstatehash: u64,
         event_type: &StateEventType,
         state_key: &str,
-    ) -> Result<Option<serde_json::Value>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<Value>> {
         let content = self
             .state_get(shortstatehash, event_type, state_key)?
             .map(|event| serde_json::from_str(event.content.get()))
@@ -159,40 +160,21 @@ impl service::rooms::state_accessor::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
             })
     }
 
-    /// The user was a joined member at this state (potentially in the past)
-    fn user_was_joined(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool> {
-        Ok(self
-            .state_get_content(
-                shortstatehash,
-                &StateEventType::RoomMember,
-                user_id.as_str(),
-            )?
-            .map(|content| match content.get("membership") {
-                Some(membership) => MembershipState::from(membership.as_str().unwrap_or("")),
-                None => MembershipState::Leave,
-            } == MembershipState::Join)
-            .unwrap_or(false))
-    }
-
-    /// The user was an invited or joined room member at this state (potentially
-    /// in the past)
-    fn user_was_invited(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool> {
-        Ok(self
-            .state_get_content(
-                shortstatehash,
-                &StateEventType::RoomMember,
-                user_id.as_str(),
-            )?
-            .map(|content| {
-                let membership = match content.get("membership") {
-                    Some(membership) => MembershipState::from(membership.as_str().unwrap_or("")),
-                    None => MembershipState::Leave,
-                };
-                let joined = membership == MembershipState::Join;
-                let invited = membership == MembershipState::Invite;
-                invited || joined
-            })
-            .unwrap_or(false))
+    /// Get membership for given user in state
+    fn user_membership(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<MembershipState> {
+        self.state_get_content(
+            shortstatehash,
+            &StateEventType::RoomMember,
+            user_id.as_str(),
+        )?
+        .map(|content| match content.get("membership") {
+            Some(Value::String(membership)) => Ok(MembershipState::from(membership.as_str())),
+            None => Ok(MembershipState::Leave),
+            _ => Err(Error::bad_database(
+                "Malformed membership, expected Value::String",
+            )),
+        })
+        .unwrap_or(Ok(MembershipState::Leave))
     }
 
     /// Returns the full room state.
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/data.rs b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/data.rs
index 4cff0736..3a5cb49e 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/data.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/data.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use async_trait::async_trait;
+use ruma::events::room::member::MembershipState;
 use ruma::{events::StateEventType, EventId, RoomId, UserId};
 
 use crate::{PduEvent, Result};
@@ -45,12 +46,8 @@ pub trait Data: Send + Sync {
     /// Returns the state hash for this pdu.
     fn pdu_shortstatehash(&self, event_id: &EventId) -> Result<Option<u64>>;
 
-    /// The user was a joined member at this state (potentially in the past)
-    fn user_was_joined(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool>;
-
-    /// The user was an invited or joined room member at this state (potentially
-    /// in the past)
-    fn user_was_invited(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool>;
+    /// Get membership for given user in state
+    fn user_membership(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<MembershipState>;
 
     /// Returns the full room state.
     async fn room_state_full(
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
index b53488d0..fd464d89 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ use std::{
 pub use data::Data;
 use lru_cache::LruCache;
 use ruma::{
-    events::{room::history_visibility::HistoryVisibility, StateEventType},
+    events::{
+        room::history_visibility::HistoryVisibility, room::member::MembershipState, StateEventType,
+    },
     EventId, OwnedServerName, OwnedUserId, RoomId, ServerName, UserId,
 };
 
@@ -151,14 +153,20 @@ impl Service {
     }
 
     /// The user was a joined member at this state (potentially in the past)
-    pub fn user_was_joined(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool> {
-        self.db.user_was_joined(shortstatehash, user_id)
+    pub fn user_was_joined(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> bool {
+        self.db
+            .user_membership(shortstatehash, user_id)
+            .map(|s| s == MembershipState::Join)
+            .unwrap_or_default() // Return sensible default, i.e. false
     }
 
     /// The user was an invited or joined room member at this state (potentially
     /// in the past)
-    pub fn user_was_invited(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<bool> {
-        self.db.user_was_invited(shortstatehash, user_id)
+    pub fn user_was_invited(&self, shortstatehash: u64, user_id: &UserId) -> bool {
+        self.db
+            .user_membership(shortstatehash, user_id)
+            .map(|s| s == MembershipState::Join || s == MembershipState::Invite)
+            .unwrap_or_default() // Return sensible default, i.e. false
     }
 
     /// Returns the full room state.