diff --git a/src/api/client_server/directory.rs b/src/api/client_server/directory.rs
index 33ee3e63..c9bdfc53 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/directory.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/directory.rs
@@ -34,15 +34,7 @@ use crate::{services, Error, Result, Ruma};
 pub async fn get_public_rooms_filtered_route(
 	body: Ruma<get_public_rooms_filtered::v3::Request>,
 ) -> Result<get_public_rooms_filtered::v3::Response> {
-	if !services()
-		.globals
-		.config
-		.allow_public_room_directory_without_auth
-	{
-		let _sender_user = body.sender_user.as_ref().expect("user is authenticated");
-	}
-
-	get_public_rooms_filtered_helper(
+	let response = get_public_rooms_filtered_helper(
 		body.server.as_deref(),
 		body.limit,
 		body.since.as_deref(),
@@ -50,6 +42,12 @@ pub async fn get_public_rooms_filtered_route(
 		&body.room_network,
 	)
 	.await
+	.map_err(|e| {
+		warn!("Failed to return our /publicRooms: {e}");
+		Error::BadRequest(ErrorKind::Unknown, "Failed to return this server's public room list.")
+	})?;
+
+	Ok(response)
 }
 
 /// # `GET /_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms`
@@ -60,14 +58,6 @@ pub async fn get_public_rooms_filtered_route(
 pub async fn get_public_rooms_route(
 	body: Ruma<get_public_rooms::v3::Request>,
 ) -> Result<get_public_rooms::v3::Response> {
-	if !services()
-		.globals
-		.config
-		.allow_public_room_directory_without_auth
-	{
-		let _sender_user = body.sender_user.as_ref().expect("user is authenticated");
-	}
-
 	let response = get_public_rooms_filtered_helper(
 		body.server.as_deref(),
 		body.limit,
@@ -75,7 +65,11 @@ pub async fn get_public_rooms_route(
 		&Filter::default(),
 		&RoomNetwork::Matrix,
 	)
-	.await?;
+	.await
+	.map_err(|e| {
+		warn!("Failed to return our /publicRooms: {e}");
+		Error::BadRequest(ErrorKind::Unknown, "Failed to return this server's public room list.")
+	})?;
 
 	Ok(get_public_rooms::v3::Response {
 		chunk: response.chunk,
diff --git a/src/api/ruma_wrapper/axum.rs b/src/api/ruma_wrapper/axum.rs
index d221a0fa..f1ea1b85 100644
--- a/src/api/ruma_wrapper/axum.rs
+++ b/src/api/ruma_wrapper/axum.rs
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ where
 						}
 					},
 					AuthScheme::None => match parts.uri.path() {
+						// TOOD: can we do a better check here?
 						// allow_public_room_directory_without_auth
 						"/_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms" | "/_matrix/client/r0/publicRooms" => {
 							if !services()
diff --git a/src/api/server_server.rs b/src/api/server_server.rs
index dcd55555..8c3d36c9 100644
--- a/src/api/server_server.rs
+++ b/src/api/server_server.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ use ruma::{
 		},
 		OutgoingResponse,
 	},
-	directory::{Filter, RoomNetwork},
+	directory::Filter,
 	events::{
 		receipt::{ReceiptEvent, ReceiptEventContent, ReceiptType},
 		room::{
@@ -162,7 +162,11 @@ pub async fn get_public_rooms_filtered_route(
 		&body.filter,
 		&body.room_network,
 	)
-	.await?;
+	.await
+	.map_err(|e| {
+		warn!("Failed to return our /publicRooms: {e}");
+		Error::BadRequest(ErrorKind::Unknown, "Failed to return this server's public room list.")
+	})?;
 
 	Ok(get_public_rooms_filtered::v1::Response {
 		chunk: response.chunk,
@@ -190,9 +194,13 @@ pub async fn get_public_rooms_route(
 		body.limit,
 		body.since.as_deref(),
 		&Filter::default(),
-		&RoomNetwork::Matrix,
+		&body.room_network,
 	)
-	.await?;
+	.await
+	.map_err(|e| {
+		warn!("Failed to return our /publicRooms: {e}");
+		Error::BadRequest(ErrorKind::Unknown, "Failed to return this server's public room list.")
+	})?;
 
 	Ok(get_public_rooms::v1::Response {
 		chunk: response.chunk,