diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation.py b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
index 7588dfc1bf..96492ceb38 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 auth_ids = [e_id for e_id, _ in e.auth_events]
                 auth = {
                     (e.type, e.state_key): e for e in auth_chain
-                    if e.event_id in auth_ids
+                    if e.event_id in auth_ids or e.type == EventTypes.Create
                 }
                 event_infos.append({
                     "event": e,
@@ -1166,7 +1166,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                         auth_ids = [e_id for e_id, _ in e.auth_events]
                         auth = {
                             (e.type, e.state_key): e for e in remote_auth_chain
-                            if e.event_id in auth_ids
+                            if e.event_id in auth_ids or e.type == EventTypes.Create
                         }
                         e.internal_metadata.outlier = True
 
@@ -1284,6 +1284,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                                 (e.type, e.state_key): e
                                 for e in result["auth_chain"]
                                 if e.event_id in auth_ids
+                                or event.type == EventTypes.Create
                             }
                             ev.internal_metadata.outlier = True