diff --git a/src/app/components/create-room/utils.ts b/src/app/components/create-room/utils.ts
index 60f334e..83a9c0f 100644
--- a/src/app/components/create-room/utils.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/create-room/utils.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ export const createRoomEncryptionState = () => ({
   },
 });
 
+/**
+ * Partial power levels for MatrixRTC call membership (MSC3401).
+ * Do NOT put this in createRoom initial_state — homeservers reject incomplete
+ * m.room.power_levels with 403. Apply after create via sendStateEvent instead,
+ * or rely on TrustedPrivateChat (both users PL 100) for DMs.
+ */
 export const createRoomPowerLevelsState = () => ({
   type: StateEvent.RoomPowerLevels,
   state_key: '',
diff --git a/src/app/features/create-chat/CreateChat.tsx b/src/app/features/create-chat/CreateChat.tsx
index 553c779..95cebe4 100644
--- a/src/app/features/create-chat/CreateChat.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/create-chat/CreateChat.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { useMatrixClient } from '../../hooks/useMatrixClient';
 import { AsyncStatus, useAsyncCallback } from '../../hooks/useAsyncCallback';
 import { ErrorCode } from '../../cs-errorcode';
 import { millisecondsToMinutes } from '../../utils/common';
-import { createRoomEncryptionState, createRoomPowerLevelsState } from '../../components/create-room';
+import { createRoomEncryptionState } from '../../components/create-room';
 import { useAlive } from '../../hooks/useAlive';
 import { getDirectRoomPath } from '../../pages/pathUtils';
 
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@ export function CreateChat({ defaultUserId }: CreateChatProps) {
   const [createState, create] = useAsyncCallback<string, Error | MatrixError, [string, boolean]>(
     useCallback(
       async (userId, encrypted) => {
+        // Do not put m.room.power_levels in initial_state — incomplete PL events
+        // (used for org.matrix.msc3401.call.member) cause M_FORBIDDEN / 403 on create.
+        // TrustedPrivateChat already gives both users PL 100, so call membership works.
         const initialState: ICreateRoomStateEvent[] = [];
-
-        initialState.push(createRoomPowerLevelsState());
         if (encrypted) initialState.push(createRoomEncryptionState());
 
         const result = await mx.createRoom({
diff --git a/src/app/hooks/useCommands.ts b/src/app/hooks/useCommands.ts
index d116661..0b09439 100644
--- a/src/app/hooks/useCommands.ts
+++ b/src/app/hooks/useCommands.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { useRoomNavigate } from './useRoomNavigate';
 import { Membership, StateEvent } from '../../types/matrix/room';
 import { getStateEvent } from '../utils/room';
 import { splitWithSpace } from '../utils/common';
-import { createRoomEncryptionState, createRoomPowerLevelsState } from '../components/create-room';
+import { createRoomEncryptionState } from '../components/create-room';
 
 export const SHRUG = '¯\\_(ツ)_/¯';
 export const TABLEFLIP = '(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻';
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ export const useCommands = (mx: MatrixClient, room: Room): CommandRecord => {
             invite: userIds,
             visibility: Visibility.Private,
             preset: Preset.TrustedPrivateChat,
-            initial_state: [createRoomPowerLevelsState(), createRoomEncryptionState()],
+            // No power_levels in initial_state — incomplete PL for call.member causes 403
+            initial_state: [createRoomEncryptionState()],
           });
           addRoomIdToMDirect(mx, result.room_id, userIds[0]);
           navigateRoom(result.room_id);