diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 155ed6e06a..3b0156f516 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
                 raise NotFoundError("Can't find event for token %s" % (at_token,))
 
             visible_events = yield filter_events_for_client(
-                self.storage, user_id, last_events
+                self.storage, user_id, last_events, apply_retention_policies=False
             )
 
             event = last_events[0]
diff --git a/synapse/visibility.py b/synapse/visibility.py
index 4d4141dacc..7b037eeb0c 100644
--- a/synapse/visibility.py
+++ b/synapse/visibility.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ MEMBERSHIP_PRIORITY = (
 
 @defer.inlineCallbacks
 def filter_events_for_client(
-    storage: Storage, user_id, events, is_peeking=False, always_include_ids=frozenset()
+    storage: Storage, user_id, events, is_peeking=False, always_include_ids=frozenset(),
+    apply_retention_policies=True,
 ):
     """
     Check which events a user is allowed to see
@@ -59,6 +60,10 @@ def filter_events_for_client(
             events
         always_include_ids (set(event_id)): set of event ids to specifically
             include (unless sender is ignored)
+        apply_retention_policies (bool): Whether to filter out events that's older than
+            allowed by the room's retention policy. Useful when this function is called
+            to e.g. check whether a user should be allowed to see the state at a given
+            event rather than to know if it should send an event to a user's client(s).
 
     Returns:
         Deferred[list[synapse.events.EventBase]]
@@ -86,13 +91,14 @@ def filter_events_for_client(
 
     erased_senders = yield storage.main.are_users_erased((e.sender for e in events))
 
-    room_ids = set(e.room_id for e in events)
-    retention_policies = {}
+    if apply_retention_policies:
+        room_ids = set(e.room_id for e in events)
+        retention_policies = {}
 
-    for room_id in room_ids:
-        retention_policies[room_id] = yield storage.main.get_retention_policy_for_room(
-            room_id
-        )
+        for room_id in room_ids:
+            retention_policies[room_id] = (
+                yield storage.main.get_retention_policy_for_room(room_id)
+            )
 
     def allowed(event):
         """
@@ -113,7 +119,7 @@ def filter_events_for_client(
 
         # Don't try to apply the room's retention policy if the event is a state event, as
         # MSC1763 states that retention is only considered for non-state events.
-        if not event.is_state():
+        if apply_retention_policies and not event.is_state():
             retention_policy = retention_policies[event.room_id]
             max_lifetime = retention_policy.get("max_lifetime")