diff --git a/src/client_server.rs b/src/client_server.rs
index aad0b63718516b4fa9ef035782d09adb3d84ab70..cf3f67cac94c5cdede89327fda69dda0053c7bc9 100644
--- a/src/client_server.rs
+++ b/src/client_server.rs
@@ -3243,8 +3243,8 @@ pub fn get_message_events_route(
                 .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
             Ok(get_message_events::Response {
-                start: start_token,
-                end: Some(body.from.clone()),
+                start: Some(body.from.clone()),
+                end: start_token,
                 chunk: events_before,
                 state: Vec::new(),
             }
diff --git a/src/database/rooms.rs b/src/database/rooms.rs
index c44eb5a5be87a3a7da10225490a3c8b550a926ab..5c17f27eb02ae12efadcaf1ccd62bd8e4550e0c2 100644
--- a/src/database/rooms.rs
+++ b/src/database/rooms.rs
@@ -596,14 +596,10 @@ pub fn append_pdu(
             EventType::RoomMember => {
                 if let Some(state_key) = state_key {
                     // if the state_key fails
-                    let target_user_id = UserId::try_from(state_key).map_err(|_| {
-                        Error::BadRequest(
-                            ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
-                            "State key of member event does not contain user id.",
-                        )
-                    })?;
+                    let target_user_id = UserId::try_from(state_key)
+                        .expect("This state_key was previously validated");
                     // Update our membership info, we do this here incase a user is invited
-                    // and imediatly leaves we need the DB to record the invite event for auth
+                    // and immediately leaves we need the DB to record the invite event for auth
                     self.update_membership(
                         &room_id,
                         &target_user_id,