diff --git a/lib/models/room-state.js b/lib/models/room-state.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/models/room-state.js
+++ b/lib/models/room-state.js
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
 
     var default_user_level = 0;
     var user_levels = [];
-    var current_user_level = 0;
 
     var state_default = 0;
     if (power_levels_event) {
@@ -253,9 +252,6 @@ RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
 
         default_user_level = parseInt(power_levels.users_default || 0);
         user_levels = power_levels.users || {};
-        current_user_level = user_levels[userId];
-
-        if (current_user_level === undefined) { current_user_level = default_user_level; }
 
         if (power_levels.state_default !== undefined) {
             state_default = power_levels.state_default;
@@ -268,7 +264,7 @@ RoomState.prototype.maySendStateEvent = function(stateEventType, userId) {
     if (events_levels[stateEventType] !== undefined) {
         state_event_level = events_levels[stateEventType];
     }
-    return current_user_level >= state_event_level;
+    return member.powerLevel >= state_event_level;
 };
 
 /**
Use member.powerLevel instead of duplicating the user power level calculation.