diff --git a/src/GithubBridge.ts b/src/GithubBridge.ts
index e2441ae2..444a29fc 100644
--- a/src/GithubBridge.ts
+++ b/src/GithubBridge.ts
@@ -233,8 +233,9 @@ export class GithubBridge {
             return;
         }
         log.info(`Bridge bot joined ${roomId}`);
-        const bridgeStateEvents: IBridgeRoomState[] =
-            (await this.as.botClient.getRoomState(roomId)).filter((ev) =>
+        const stateEvs = await this.as.botClient.getRoomState(roomId);
+        console.log(stateEvs);
+        const bridgeStateEvents: IBridgeRoomState[] = stateEvs.filter((ev) =>
             ev.type === BRIDGE_STATE_TYPE,
         );
 
diff --git a/src/MatrixSender.ts b/src/MatrixSender.ts
index 66e1f0d8..fdb6f0e7 100644
--- a/src/MatrixSender.ts
+++ b/src/MatrixSender.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export class MatrixSender {
 
     public async sendMatrixMessage(messageId: string, msg: IMatrixSendMessage) {
        const intent = msg.sender ? this.as.getIntentForUserId(msg.sender) : this.as.botIntent;
+       await intent.ensureRegisteredAndJoined(msg.roomId);
        const eventId = await intent.underlyingClient.sendEvent(msg.roomId, msg.type, msg.content);
        log.info("Sent", eventId);
        await this.mq.push<IMatrixSendMessageResponse>({