diff --git a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/fetch_auth.rs b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/fetch_auth.rs
index 742fc958a..cf4d95d49 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/fetch_auth.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/fetch_auth.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ impl super::Service {
 			if let Err(e) = Self::pdu_format_check_1(
 				&auth_pdu_json,
 				room_version_rules,
-				&create_event.event_id().to_owned(),
+				create_event.event_id(),
 			) {
 				// drop this PDU
 				warn!(%auth_event_id, error=?e, "Dropping auth chain event as it violates the room event format");
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/handle_outlier_pdu.rs b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/handle_outlier_pdu.rs
index b778c7bbf..72285406d 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/handle_outlier_pdu.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/handle_outlier_pdu.rs
@@ -45,17 +45,13 @@ impl super::Service {
 		// 1. Check that the PDU follows the format for the room version
 		// (in this case, just size check)
 		let room_version_rules = get_room_version_rules(create_event)?;
-		Self::pdu_format_check_1(
-			&value,
-			&room_version_rules,
-			&create_event.event_id().to_owned(),
-		)
-		.inspect_err(|e| {
-			info!(
-				err=?e,
-				"Dropping incoming PDU from {origin} because it violates the room event format"
-			);
-		})?;
+		Self::pdu_format_check_1(&value, &room_version_rules, create_event.event_id())
+			.inspect_err(|e| {
+				info!(
+					err=?e,
+					"Dropping incoming PDU from {origin} because it violates the room event format"
+				);
+			})?;
 
 		value.remove("unsigned");
 		let room_version_rules = get_room_version_rules(create_event)?;
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/pdu_checks.rs b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/pdu_checks.rs
index 3862103a4..1288b97a9 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/event_handler/pdu_checks.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/event_handler/pdu_checks.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ use conduwuit::{
 };
 use futures::future::ready;
 use ruma::{
-	CanonicalJsonObject, OwnedEventId, ServerName, api::error::ErrorKind, canonical_json::redact,
-	events::StateEventType, room_version_rules::RoomVersionRules,
+	CanonicalJsonObject, EventId, OwnedEventId, ServerName, api::error::ErrorKind,
+	canonical_json::redact, events::StateEventType, room_version_rules::RoomVersionRules,
 };
 
 use crate::rooms::{
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ impl super::Service {
 	pub(super) fn pdu_format_check_1(
 		pdu_json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
 		room_version_rules: &RoomVersionRules,
-		create_event_id: &OwnedEventId,
+		create_event_id: &EventId,
 	) -> Result<()> {
 		let event_format = &room_version_rules.event_format;
 		// NOTE: if we do any more validation outside of deserialisation, it has to be
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ impl super::Service {
 			return Err!(Request(BadJson("PDU has too many auth events")));
 		}
 
-		let create_event_in_auth_events = auth_events.contains(create_event_id);
+		let create_event_in_auth_events = auth_events.iter().any(|id| id == create_event_id);
 		if !event_format.allow_room_create_in_auth_events && create_event_in_auth_events {
 			return Err!(Request(BadJson("PDU references a create event")));
 		}