diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/roommember.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/roommember.py
index b4298d33a6..255e3f8d12 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/roommember.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/roommember.py
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ class RoomMemberWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore):
         self._joined_host_linearizer = Linearizer("_JoinedHostsCache")
 
         self._server_notices_mxid = hs.config.servernotices.server_notices_mxid
-        self._storage_controllers = hs.get_storage_controllers()
 
         if (
             self.hs.config.worker.run_background_tasks
@@ -1138,19 +1137,20 @@ class RoomMemberWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore):
                 # inspecting all join memberships in `state`. However, if the `state` is
                 # relatively recent then many of its events are likely to be held in
                 # the current state of the room, which is easily available and likely
-                # cached. We therefore compute the set of `state` events not in the
+                # cached.
+                #
+                # We therefore compute the set of `state` events not in the
                 # current state and only fetch those.
-                current_state = await self._storage_controllers.state.get_current_state(
-                    room_id
+                current_memberships = (
+                    await self._get_approximate_current_memberships_in_room(room_id)
                 )
                 unknown_state_events = {}
                 joined_users_in_current_state = []
 
                 for (type, state_key), event_id in state.items():
-                    current_event = current_state.get((type, state_key))
-                    if current_event is None or current_event.event_id != event_id:
+                    if event_id not in current_memberships:
                         unknown_state_events[type, state_key] = event_id
-                    elif current_event.membership == Membership.JOIN:
+                    elif current_memberships[event_id] == Membership.JOIN:
                         joined_users_in_current_state.append(state_key)
 
                 joined_user_ids = await self.get_joined_user_ids_from_state(
@@ -1169,6 +1169,33 @@ class RoomMemberWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore):
 
         return frozenset(cache.hosts_to_joined_users)
 
+    # TODO: this _might_ turn out to need caching, let's see
+    async def _get_approximate_current_memberships_in_room(
+        self, room_id: str
+    ) -> Mapping[str, Optional[str]]:
+        """Build a map from event id to membership, for all events in the current state.
+
+        The event ids of non-memberships events (e.g. `m.room.power_levels`) are present
+        in the result, mapped to values of `None`.
+
+        The result is approximate for partially-joined rooms. It is fully accurate
+        for fully-joined rooms.
+        """
+
+        def f(txn: LoggingTransaction) -> List[Tuple[str, str]]:
+            sql = """
+                SELECT event_id, membership
+                FROM current_state_events
+                WHERE room_id = ?;
+            """
+            txn.execute(sql, (room_id,))
+            return txn.fetchall()  # type: ignore[return-value]
+
+        rows = await self.db_pool.runInteraction(
+            "_get_approimate_current_memberships_in_room", f
+        )
+        return {row[0]: row[1] for row in rows}
+
     @cached(max_entries=10000)
     def _get_joined_hosts_cache(self, room_id: str) -> "_JoinedHostsCache":
         return _JoinedHostsCache()