diff --git a/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js b/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
index ca6e66606..12aaeb843 100644
--- a/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
+++ b/src/crypto/verification/request/InRoomChannel.js
@@ -178,6 +178,13 @@ export class InRoomChannel {
         if (event.getRoomId() !== this._roomId) {
             return;
         }
+        // ignore events not sent by us or the other party
+        const ownUserId = this._client.getUserId();
+        const sender = event.getSender();
+        if (sender !== ownUserId && sender !== this.userId) {
+            console.log(`InRoomChannel: ignoring verification event from non-participating sender ${sender}`);
+            return;
+        }
         // set transactionId when receiving a .request
         if (!this._requestEventId && type === REQUEST_TYPE) {
             this._requestEventId = event.getId();
diff --git a/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js b/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
index 261751877..b8db96d4f 100644
--- a/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
+++ b/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest.js
@@ -340,12 +340,6 @@ export default class VerificationRequest extends EventEmitter {
      */
     async handleEvent(type, event, timestamp) {
         const sender = event.getSender();
-
-        if (sender !== this._client.getUserId() && sender !== this._otherUserId) {
-            console.log(`VerificationRequest: ignoring verification event from non-participating sender ${sender}`);
-            return;
-        }
-
         const content = event.getContent();
         if (type === REQUEST_TYPE || type === START_TYPE) {
             if (this._startTimestamp === null) {