diff --git a/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js b/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
index ed0613a82..15d522509 100644
--- a/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
+++ b/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
@@ -128,11 +128,13 @@ export class InRoomChannel {
     static validateEvent(event, client) {
         const txnId = InRoomChannel.getTransactionId(event);
         if (typeof txnId !== "string" || txnId.length === 0) {
-            logger.log("InRoomChannel: validateEvent: no valid txnId " + txnId);
             return false;
         }
         const type = InRoomChannel.getEventType(event);
         const content = event.getContent();
+
+        // from here on we're fairly sure that this is supposed to be
+        // part of a verification request, so be noisy when rejecting something
         if (type === REQUEST_TYPE) {
             if (!content || typeof content.to !== "string" || !content.to.length) {
                 logger.log("InRoomChannel: validateEvent: " +
diff --git a/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js b/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
index 452bfebca..4c5fcd648 100644
--- a/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
+++ b/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
@@ -84,13 +84,15 @@ export class VerificationRequest extends EventEmitter {
     static validateEvent(type, event, client) {
         const content = event.getContent();
 
-        if (!content) {
-            logger.log("VerificationRequest: validateEvent: no content");
-        }
 
         if (!type.startsWith(EVENT_PREFIX)) {
-            logger.log("VerificationRequest: validateEvent: " +
-                "fail because type doesnt start with " + EVENT_PREFIX);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        // from here on we're fairly sure that this is supposed to be
+        // part of a verification request, so be noisy when rejecting something
+        if (!content) {
+            logger.log("VerificationRequest: validateEvent: no content");
             return false;
         }