diff --git a/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs b/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
index 78cd4289f..1c124b5be 100644
--- a/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/membership/invite.rs
@@ -77,25 +77,27 @@ pub(crate) async fn invite_user_route(
 				}
 			}
 
-			match recipient_filter_level {
-				| FilterLevel::Allow => {
-					invite_helper(
-						&services,
-						sender_user,
-						recipient_user,
-						&body.room_id,
-						body.reason.clone(),
-						false,
-					)
-					.boxed()
-					.await?;
-
-					Ok(invite_user::v3::Response {})
-				},
-				| FilterLevel::Ignore => Ok(invite_user::v3::Response {}),
-				| FilterLevel::Block =>
-					Err!(Request(InviteBlocked("{recipient_user} has blocked invites from you."))),
+			// return an error for blocked invites. ignored invites aren't handled here
+			// since the recipient's membership should still be changed to `invite`.
+			// they're filtered out in api::client::message::is_ignored_pdu
+			if matches!(recipient_filter_level, FilterLevel::Block) {
+				return Err!(Request(InviteBlocked(
+					"{recipient_user} has blocked invites from you."
+				)));
 			}
+
+			invite_helper(
+				&services,
+				sender_user,
+				recipient_user,
+				&body.room_id,
+				body.reason.clone(),
+				false,
+			)
+			.boxed()
+			.await?;
+
+			Ok(invite_user::v3::Response {})
 		},
 		| _ => {
 			Err!(Request(NotFound("User not found.")))
diff --git a/src/api/client/room/create.rs b/src/api/client/room/create.rs
index 597213256..fb9492906 100644
--- a/src/api/client/room/create.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/room/create.rs
@@ -115,22 +115,25 @@ pub(crate) async fn create_room_route(
 			// drop invites if the creator has them blocked
 			continue;
 		}
-		match services
-			.users
-			.invite_filter_level(sender_user, recipient_user)
-			.await
-		{
-			| FilterLevel::Allow => {
-				invitees.insert(recipient_user.clone());
-			},
-			| FilterLevel::Ignore => {
-				continue;
-			},
-			| FilterLevel::Block =>
-				return Err!(Request(InviteBlocked(
-					"{recipient_user} has blocked invites from you."
-				))),
+
+		// if the recipient of the invite is local and has the sender blocked, error
+		// out. if the recipient is remote we can't tell yet, and if they're local and
+		// have the sender _ignored_ their invite will be filtered out in
+		// api::client::message::is_ignored_pdu
+		if services.globals.user_is_local(recipient_user)
+			&& matches!(
+				services
+					.users
+					.invite_filter_level(sender_user, recipient_user)
+					.await,
+				FilterLevel::Block
+			) {
+			return Err!(Request(InviteBlocked(
+				"{recipient_user} has blocked invites from you."
+			)));
 		}
+
+		invitees.insert(recipient_user.clone());
 	}
 
 	let _short_id = services
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs b/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
index a1ff145d3..6ecc9e54c 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/state_cache/update.rs
@@ -122,24 +122,20 @@ pub async fn update_membership(
 			self.mark_as_joined(user_id, room_id);
 		},
 		| MembershipState::Invite => {
-			match self
-				.services
-				.users
-				.invite_filter_level(sender, user_id)
-				.await
-			{
-				| FilterLevel::Allow => {
-					self.mark_as_invited(user_id, room_id, last_state, invite_via)
-						.await;
-				},
-				| FilterLevel::Ignore => {
-					// do nothing
-				},
-				| FilterLevel::Block =>
-					return Err!(Request(InviteBlocked(
-						"{user_id} has blocked invites from you."
-					))),
+			// return an error for blocked invites. ignored invites aren't handled here
+			// since the recipient's membership should still be changed to `invite`.
+			// they're filtered out in api::client::message::is_ignored_pdu
+			if matches!(
+				self.services
+					.users
+					.invite_filter_level(sender, user_id)
+					.await,
+				FilterLevel::Block
+			) {
+				return Err!(Request(InviteBlocked("{user_id} has blocked invites from you.")));
 			}
+			self.mark_as_invited(user_id, room_id, last_state, invite_via)
+				.await;
 		},
 		| MembershipState::Leave | MembershipState::Ban => {
 			self.mark_as_left(user_id, room_id);