diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx b/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
index d6c97f9cf2..48336de400 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
@@ -502,19 +502,15 @@ const isMuted = (member: RoomMember, powerLevelContent: IPowerLevelsContent) =>
     return member.powerLevel < levelToSend;
 };
 
+const getPowerLevels = room => room.currentState.getStateEvents(EventType.RoomPowerLevels, "")?.getContent() || {};
+
 export const useRoomPowerLevels = (cli: MatrixClient, room: Room) => {
-    const [powerLevels, setPowerLevels] = useState<IPowerLevelsContent>({});
+    const [powerLevels, setPowerLevels] = useState<IPowerLevelsContent>(getPowerLevels(room));
 
     const update = useCallback((ev?: MatrixEvent) => {
         if (!room) return;
         if (ev && ev.getType() !== EventType.RoomPowerLevels) return;
-
-        const event = room.currentState.getStateEvents(EventType.RoomPowerLevels, "");
-        if (event) {
-            setPowerLevels(event.getContent());
-        } else {
-            setPowerLevels({});
-        }
+        setPowerLevels(getPowerLevels(room));
     }, [room]);
 
     useEventEmitter(cli, "RoomState.events", update);