diff --git a/clientapi/routing/membership.go b/clientapi/routing/membership.go
index bc679631..b85cfde0 100644
--- a/clientapi/routing/membership.go
+++ b/clientapi/routing/membership.go
@@ -47,6 +47,37 @@ func SendBan(
 	if reqErr != nil {
 		return *reqErr
 	}
+
+	errRes := checkMemberInRoom(req.Context(), rsAPI, device.UserID, roomID)
+	if errRes != nil {
+		return *errRes
+	}
+
+	plEvent := roomserverAPI.GetStateEvent(req.Context(), rsAPI, roomID, gomatrixserverlib.StateKeyTuple{
+		EventType: gomatrixserverlib.MRoomPowerLevels,
+		StateKey:  "",
+	})
+	if plEvent == nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: 403,
+			JSON: jsonerror.Forbidden("You don't have permission to ban this user, no power_levels event in this room."),
+		}
+	}
+	pl, err := plEvent.PowerLevels()
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: 403,
+			JSON: jsonerror.Forbidden("You don't have permission to ban this user, the power_levels event for this room is malformed so auth checks cannot be performed."),
+		}
+	}
+	allowedToBan := pl.UserLevel(device.UserID) >= pl.Ban
+	if !allowedToBan {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: 403,
+			JSON: jsonerror.Forbidden("You don't have permission to ban this user, power level too low."),
+		}
+	}
+
 	return sendMembership(req.Context(), accountDB, device, roomID, "ban", body.Reason, cfg, body.UserID, evTime, roomVer, rsAPI, asAPI)
 }
 
diff --git a/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go b/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
index 9d9434cb..8e787851 100644
--- a/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
+++ b/roomserver/storage/shared/storage.go
@@ -866,6 +866,10 @@ func (d *Database) GetStateEvent(ctx context.Context, roomID, evType, stateKey s
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	stateKeyNID, err := d.EventStateKeysTable.SelectEventStateKeyNID(ctx, nil, stateKey)
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		// No rooms have a state event with this state key, otherwise we'd have an state key NID
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/sytest-whitelist b/sytest-whitelist
index f6a051bd..4d0b9fcf 100644
--- a/sytest-whitelist
+++ b/sytest-whitelist
@@ -520,6 +520,8 @@ Inviting an AS-hosted user asks the AS server
 Can generate a openid access_token that can be exchanged for information about a user
 Invalid openid access tokens are rejected
 Requests to userinfo without access tokens are rejected
+'ban' event respects room powerlevel
+Non-present room members cannot ban others
 POST /_synapse/admin/v1/register with shared secret
 POST /_synapse/admin/v1/register admin with shared secret
 POST /_synapse/admin/v1/register with shared secret downcases capitals