diff --git a/src/models/room-member.js b/src/models/room-member.js
index 66f80a5e4..fa5152ed0 100644
--- a/src/models/room-member.js
+++ b/src/models/room-member.js
@@ -104,17 +104,20 @@ RoomMember.prototype.setPowerLevelEvent = function(powerLevelEvent) {
     if (powerLevelEvent.getType() !== "m.room.power_levels") {
         return;
     }
-    let maxLevel = powerLevelEvent.getContent().users_default || 0;
-    utils.forEach(utils.values(powerLevelEvent.getContent().users), function(lvl) {
+
+    const evContent = powerLevelEvent.getDirectionalContent();
+
+    let maxLevel = evContent.users_default || 0;
+    utils.forEach(utils.values(evContent.users), function(lvl) {
         maxLevel = Math.max(maxLevel, lvl);
     });
     const oldPowerLevel = this.powerLevel;
     const oldPowerLevelNorm = this.powerLevelNorm;
 
-    if (powerLevelEvent.getContent().users[this.userId] !== undefined) {
-        this.powerLevel = powerLevelEvent.getContent().users[this.userId];
-    } else if (powerLevelEvent.getContent().users_default !== undefined) {
-        this.powerLevel = powerLevelEvent.getContent().users_default;
+    if (evContent.users && evContent.users[this.userId] !== undefined) {
+        this.powerLevel = evContent.users[this.userId];
+    } else if (evContent.users_default !== undefined) {
+        this.powerLevel = evContent.users_default;
     } else {
         this.powerLevel = 0;
     }
diff --git a/src/models/room-state.js b/src/models/room-state.js
index 7e40dd7b1..96350b031 100644
--- a/src/models/room-state.js
+++ b/src/models/room-state.js
@@ -197,6 +197,16 @@ RoomState.prototype.setStateEvents = function(stateEvents) {
                 member.setPowerLevelEvent(event);
                 self.emit("RoomState.members", event, self, member);
             });
+
+            // Go through the sentinel members and see if any of them would be
+            // affected by the new power levels. If so, replace the sentinel.
+            for (const userId of Object.keys(self._sentinels)) {
+                const oldSentinel = self._sentinels[userId];
+                const newSentinel = new RoomMember(event.getRoomId(), userId);
+                newSentinel.setMembershipEvent(oldSentinel.events.member, self);
+                newSentinel.setPowerLevelEvent(event);
+                self._sentinels[userId] = newSentinel;
+            }
         }
     });
 };