diff --git a/src/api/server_server.rs b/src/api/server_server.rs
index 55eba877..9696d6ea 100644
--- a/src/api/server_server.rs
+++ b/src/api/server_server.rs
@@ -1778,39 +1778,34 @@ fn validate_remote_member_event(
     membership: &MembershipState,
     event: &CanonicalJsonObject,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    let event_type = event.get("type").ok_or_else(|| {
-        Error::BadRequest(
+    let Some(event_type) = event.get("type") else {
+        return Err(Error::BadRequest(
             ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
             "Event missing type property",
-        )
-    })?;
-    if event_type.as_str() != Some(RoomMemberEventContent::TYPE) {
+        ));
+    };
+    if event_type != &RoomMemberEventContent::TYPE {
         return Err(Error::BadRequest(
             ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
             "Event is not a membership event",
         ));
     }
 
-    let content: RoomMemberEventContent = serde_json::from_value(
-        event
-            .get("content")
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                Error::BadRequest(
-                    ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
-                    "Event missing content property",
-                )
-            })?
-            .clone()
-            .into(),
-    )
-    .map_err(|_| {
-        Error::BadRequest(
+    let Some(content) =
+        event.get("content").and_then(|content| content.as_object())
+    else {
+        return Err(Error::BadRequest(
             ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
-            "Event content is empty or invalid",
-        )
-    })?;
-
-    if &content.membership != membership {
+            "Event content property is missing or not an object",
+        ));
+    };
+    let Some(event_membership) = content.get("membership") else {
+        return Err(Error::BadRequest(
+            ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
+            "Event content is missing membership property",
+        ));
+    };
+    if event_membership != &membership.as_str() {
         return Err(Error::BadRequest(
             ErrorKind::InvalidParam,
             "Not allowed to send a non-invite membership event to invite \