diff --git a/lib/src/room.dart b/lib/src/room.dart
index f07a5fd4..053aa15f 100644
--- a/lib/src/room.dart
+++ b/lib/src/room.dart
@@ -348,11 +348,13 @@ class Room {
       }
     }
 
-    return client.directChats.entries
+    final mxId = client.directChats.entries
         .firstWhereOrNull((MapEntry<String, dynamic> e) {
       final roomIds = e.value;
       return roomIds is List<dynamic> && roomIds.contains(id);
     })?.key;
+    if (mxId?.isValidMatrixId == true) return mxId;
+    return null;
   }
 
   /// Wheither this is a direct chat or not
@@ -1591,7 +1593,7 @@ class Room {
     if (user != null) {
       return user.asUser;
     } else {
-      requestUser(mxID, ignoreErrors: true);
+      if (mxID.isValidMatrixId) requestUser(mxID, ignoreErrors: true);
       return User(mxID, room: this);
     }
   }
@@ -1606,6 +1608,8 @@ class Room {
     bool ignoreErrors = false,
     bool requestProfile = true,
   }) async {
+    assert(mxID.isValidMatrixId);
+
     // Checks if the user is really missing
     final stateUser = getState(EventTypes.RoomMember, mxID);
     if (stateUser != null) {