diff --git a/lib/models/room-state.js b/lib/models/room-state.js
index 6f74a1555..2ca3a745d 100644
--- a/lib/models/room-state.js
+++ b/lib/models/room-state.js
@@ -239,6 +239,33 @@ RoomState.prototype.getUserIdsWithDisplayName = function(displayName) {
     return this._displayNameToUserIds[displayName] || [];
 };
 
+/**
+ * Short-form for maySendEvent('m.room.message', userId)
+ * @param {string} userId The user ID of the user to test permission for
+ * @return {boolean} true if the given user ID should be permitted to send
+ *                   message events into the given room.
+ */
+RoomState.prototype.maySendMessage = function(userId) {
+    return this._maySendEventOfType('m.room.message', userId, false);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the given user ID has permission to send a normal
+ * event of type `eventType` into this room.
+ * @param {string} type The type of event to test
+ * @param {string} userId The user ID of the user to test permission for
+ * @param {boolean} state If true, tests if the user may send a state
+                          event of this type. Otherwise tests whether
+                          they may send a regular event.
+ * @return {boolean} true if the given user ID should be permitted to send
+ *                        the given type of event into this room,
+ *                        according to the room's state.
+ */
+RoomState.prototype.maySendEvent = function(eventType, userId) {
+    return this._maySendEventOfType(eventType, userId, false);
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Returns true if the given MatrixClient has permission to send a state
  * event of type `stateEventType` into this room.
@@ -265,6 +292,22 @@ RoomState.prototype.mayClientSendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, cli) {
  *                        according to the room's state.
  */
 RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
+    return this._maySendEventOfType(stateEventType, userId, true);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the given user ID has permission to send a normal or state
+ * event of type `eventType` into this room.
+ * @param {string} type The type of event to test
+ * @param {string} userId The user ID of the user to test permission for
+ * @param {boolean} state If true, tests if the user may send a state
+                          event of this type. Otherwise tests whether
+                          they may send a regular event.
+ * @return {boolean} true if the given user ID should be permitted to send
+ *                        the given type of event into this room,
+ *                        according to the room's state.
+ */
+RoomState.prototype._maySendEventOfType = function(eventType, userId, state) {
     var member = this.getMember(userId);
     if (!member || member.membership == 'leave') { return false; }
 
@@ -277,6 +320,7 @@ RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
     var user_levels = [];
 
     var state_default = 0;
+    var events_default = 0;
     if (power_levels_event) {
         power_levels = power_levels_event.getContent();
         events_levels = power_levels.events || {};
@@ -289,13 +333,16 @@ RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
         } else {
             state_default = 50;
         }
+        if (power_levels.events_default !== undefined) {
+            events_default = power_levels.events_default;
+        }
     }
 
-    var state_event_level = state_default;
-    if (events_levels[stateEventType] !== undefined) {
-        state_event_level = events_levels[stateEventType];
+    var required_level = state ? state_default : events_default;
+    if (events_levels[eventType] !== undefined) {
+        required_level = events_levels[eventType];
     }
-    return member.powerLevel >= state_event_level;
+    return member.powerLevel >= required_level;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/spec/unit/room-state.spec.js b/spec/unit/room-state.spec.js
index 6146b966d..b9dfe6583 100644
--- a/spec/unit/room-state.spec.js
+++ b/spec/unit/room-state.spec.js
@@ -362,4 +362,74 @@ describe("RoomState", function() {
             expect(state.maySendStateEvent('m.room.other_thing', userB)).toEqual(false);
         });
     });
+
+    describe("maySendEvent", function() {
+        it("should say non-joined members may not send events",
+        function() {
+            expect(state.maySendEvent(
+                'm.room.message', "@nobody:nowhere"
+            )).toEqual(false);
+            expect(state.maySendMessage("@nobody:nowhere")).toEqual(false);
+        });
+
+        it("should say any member may send events with no power level event",
+        function() {
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.message', userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendMessage(userA)).toEqual(true);
+        });
+
+        it("should obey events_default",
+        function() {
+            var powerLevelEvent = {
+                type: "m.room.power_levels", room: roomId, user: userA, event: true,
+                content: {
+                    users_default: 10,
+                    state_default: 30,
+                    events_default: 25,
+                    users: {
+                    }
+                }
+            };
+            powerLevelEvent.content.users[userA] = 26;
+            powerLevelEvent.content.users[userB] = 24;
+
+            state.setStateEvents([utils.mkEvent(powerLevelEvent)]);
+
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.message', userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.message', userB)).toEqual(false);
+
+            expect(state.maySendMessage(userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendMessage(userB)).toEqual(false);
+        });
+
+        it("should honour explicit event power levels in the power_levels event",
+        function() {
+            var powerLevelEvent = {
+                type: "m.room.power_levels", room: roomId, user: userA, event: true,
+                content: {
+                    events: {
+                        "m.room.other_thing": 33
+                    },
+                    users_default: 10,
+                    state_default: 50,
+                    events_default: 25,
+                    users: {
+                    }
+                }
+            };
+            powerLevelEvent.content.users[userA] = 40;
+            powerLevelEvent.content.users[userB] = 30;
+
+            state.setStateEvents([utils.mkEvent(powerLevelEvent)]);
+
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.message', userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.message', userB)).toEqual(true);
+
+            expect(state.maySendMessage(userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendMessage(userB)).toEqual(true);
+
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.other_thing', userA)).toEqual(true);
+            expect(state.maySendEvent('m.room.other_thing', userB)).toEqual(false);
+        });
+    });
 });