diff --git a/book/changelog.md b/book/changelog.md
index cd3af642..138329c3 100644
--- a/book/changelog.md
+++ b/book/changelog.md
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ This will be the first release of Grapevine since it was forked from Conduit
     ([!96](https://gitlab.computer.surgery/matrix/grapevine/-/merge_requests/96))
 18. Fixed incoming HTTP/2 requests failing federation signature check.
     ([!104](https://gitlab.computer.surgery/matrix/grapevine/-/merge_requests/104))
+19. Return 403 instead of 500 when joins to a local-only room are denied.
+    Consequently fixes Heisenbridge being unable to join puppeted users to its
+    rooms ([#85](https://gitlab.computer.surgery/matrix/grapevine/-/issues/85)).
+    ([!127](https://gitlab.computer.surgery/matrix/grapevine/-/merge_requests/127))
 
 ### Added
 
diff --git a/src/api/client_server/membership.rs b/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
index 00f1db9e..f9ce1163 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
@@ -639,8 +639,11 @@ async fn join_room_by_id_helper(
             "We couldn't do the join locally, maybe federation can help to \
              satisfy the restricted join requirements"
         );
-        let (make_join_response, remote_server) =
-            make_join_request(sender_user, room_id, servers).await?;
+        let Ok((make_join_response, remote_server)) =
+            make_join_request(sender_user, room_id, servers).await
+        else {
+            return Err(error);
+        };
 
         let room_version_id = match make_join_response.room_version {
             Some(room_version_id)